Strange Bedfellows
by Ginger James
Summary: When radio host Jordan Wyatt has a one night stand with the WWE Champion, she doesn't expect to see him anytime soon. What happens when he unexpectedly shows up at her door? Punk/OC and possible other pairings later. Mature Scenes ahead.
1. Chapter 1

**Okay I know I shouldn't be starting another story but I swear I'm feeling a brand new dedication to my writing and this, along with Truth In Deceit and Lonely Hearts Club will be updated much more regularly. Disclaimer: I own Jordan Wyatt, Jason Garrett, The Cartwright's, and any original characters that come later. Obviously, I don't own anyone else or anything to do with the WWE. This story will be a bit more mature in nature than my others so beware, smutty scenes ahead. Hope you enjoy!**

_**Strange Bedfellows**_

**Chapter 1…**

Jordan Wyatt fanned herself with a stack of paper while holding an ice cold bottle of SmartWater to the back of her neck with the other, trying desperately to remind herself why she was always telling people she loved her job. She got to do what she loved every day. She co-hosted a sports radio show on the station that she listened to as a kid. She got to work with one of her dearest friends from college: Jason Garrett. She was actually making use of her college degree so..that was good. Unfortunately, at that moment, the air conditioning was out in the building and it was about 90 degrees inside. She made a mental note to send Matt Bryant, their other host, an angry text, reprimanding him for being on his honeymoon while the rest of them were suffering through an indoor heat wave. Jason and Jordan were filling in for the normal mid-day show, recording from 1-6 instead of their normal 6-10 while the normal hosts were both on vacation. It was a privilege to be asked to cover such a prime spot but on a day like this, they both would have preferred their slightly cooler evening slot.

"Alright," Jason walked into the room carrying a small wastebasket. "This is all the ice I could find."

"It'll do for now," Jordan opened her water and resisted the urge to pour it over the top of her head. She took a long drink instead.

Jason tapped the bottom of her bottle, nearly causing her to get that 'down the wrong pipe' feeling. He broke into a fit of what could only be described as giggles as she nearly coughed up a lung. When she regained her breath, she put the top back on her bottle and then threw it at his foot, hitting him in the big toe.

"Damn it Jo!" He jumped, glaring at her.

This time she broke into the giggles. Jason was like a brother to her. She'd met him as a high school junior when both of them were accepted into Northwestern University's exclusive Medill Journalism School Cherub Program for high school journalists. They became fast friends and took quite a few classes together when they attended Northwestern after high school. She was just as close to Jason as she was to her biological brother Wesley and they bickered accordingly.

"That's what you get," she pointed, giving him her best angry glare.

"There will be retaliation," Jason warned, pointing back at her. "Anyway, I just heard we've got a guest."

"What?" Jordan stared. "They're actually having someone come in here today? Are we trying to make sure they never come back?"

Jason shrugged, "Got me. It's some kind of last minute thing. I left my headphones down in the office. I'm gonna go get 'em. You need anything out of there?"

"Another shirt if I have one," she said, holding her shirt away from her body. She hated the feeling of sweat sticking her clothes to her skin.

"I'll do my best," he laughed, walking out of the office.

"Hey, who's the guest?" she called after him but he was already gone. She shrugged it off. She would find out eventually. This happened a lot in their business. They would book guests or interviews at the last minute and hosts just had to roll with it. It was one of the things that made it fun. She wasn't sure she was going to make it five hours in this heat though.

5:00P.M.

Jordan put her head down on the desk, closing her eyes, pretending it was the dead of Chicago winter. She imagined the icy winds, snow and sleet on the ground. Unfortunately, her attempt to persuade herself that it wasn't sweaty hot in the studio didn't work at all. She wondered how long it would take her freezer to make enough ice to fill her bathtub when she got home. The heat had gotten up to 95 and Jason decided to play a 15 minute interview from the morning show with new Bears receiver Brandon Marshall. That gave them a little time to breathe before their guest showed up. Jason had gone outside, insisting that it was cooler out there than in the studio. Jordan felt drained of all energy and decided to sit with her face in front of the fan they were only able to use when they were off the air. She looked terrible so she hoped the guest wasn't anybody too important. They'd been teasing it the whole show but Jordan still didn't even know who it was. Their program director was keeping it a surprise for some reason. The loose, gauzy tunic she'd worn that day was clinging to her body and the denim shorts she was wearing were just making her that much more uncomfortable. She bit her lip trying to come up with a solution. She looked at the seat she normally used and the gigantic desk in front of it. If she took the shorts off, no one would be the wiser. She decided the less clothes the better and unbuttoned her shorts, shimmying them down her legs.

* * *

"It's really awesome to meet you Mr. Brooks…A lot of us around here are huge fans. Sorry about the heat. We're working on getting it fixed."

Phil smiled as the production assistant, who hadn't told him his name, led him off of the elevator and down a hallway.

"You can call me Phil," he said. "Or Punk. Hell, just about anything but Mr. Brooks."

"Sorry, force of habit," the young man smiled over his shoulder. "Some of the guys we get in here are real sticklers for being referred to formally."

Phil didn't doubt that. People who considered themselves 'famous' were often really weird about things like that. Phil was just happy to be there. He was off for a day and called his friend Derek that worked for Chicago's sports radio station WSCR-The Score to see what he was doing that day. Derek was a producer on the mid-day show and asked him to come in for an interview. He was hoping to get on as a host one day and said it would make him look good if he showed he could bring in someone famous for an interview. Phil didn't have anything better to do so..here he was.

"That's the studio right there," the assistant pointed to the end of the hall. "I just got a text I've gotta run back downstairs. They're expecting you in there."

"Thanks man," Phil held out his hand. "What was your name?"

"Blake," the young man smiled.

"Nice to meet you Blake," Phil shook his head before walking in the direction Blake had indicated. The door was ajar and he pushed it open, stopping when he saw something completely unexpected. Usually the mid-day show was Boers and Bernstein, two middle aged guys who yelled at half of the people that called into their show. They were entertaining though so it worked. Phil did not find himself looking at Terry Boers or Dan Bernstein. In the middle of the studio was a woman with her back to him. She was young, as best he could tell, with a very nice body, perfect looking caramel skin. She was wearing a long, thin strapped white shirt that hung to the middle of her thighs and was in the process of stepping out of a pair of small denim shorts. She had long, black hair that was dark brown toward the ends and when she straightened up, she held it up off of her neck, twisting her long waves into a messy bun on top of her head. She had toned, curvy legs that were shining with sweat. Phil couldn't say he wasn't enjoying the show but he was starting to feel a little invasive so he cleared his throat, making his presence known.

"Don't you think we should get to know each other better first?" he smirked.

The woman jumped, turning around, her beautiful face quickly morphed into a mortified expression. She had big warm brown eyes, high cheekbones, a thin nose and full lips. Her cheeks started to flush immediately, "Oh my God. I am so sorry."

"No need to apologize," he laughed. "I walked in on you."

"I have panties on, I swear," she leaned over to pick up her shorts, giving him a quick glimpse of a lacy purple bra.

Phil laughed, amused at her nervousness, "I wouldn't expect any less."

"Oh yeah, I'm all class," she gestured down at herself, seeming to relax a little. "I don't normally do this but…it's like sweaty balls hot in here."

Phil laughed, "I noticed."

"Hey Jordan, Derek said our guest should be up here any minute."

Phil looked to his left, seeing a young man he vaguely recognized enter the room from the other side. Once he got closer, he recognized him as Jason Garrett. He'd met him before at a Bulls game when Jason was working as a sideline reporter. They weren't exactly friends but he'd seen him around the city from time to time and they always said hi.

"I see we're not looking for extra clothes anymore," Jason laughed, looking the young woman up and down.

"Obviously not," she shrugged, hands on her hips. Phil couldn't help but admire how comfortable she was being essentially half naked in front of a stranger.

Jason seemed to notice Phil's presence and smiled coming over and shaking his hand, "Hey man. I didn't know _you_ were the guest today."

"I didn't know you were hosting," Phil laughed.

"You know each other?" she asked.

"Yeah, I met him at a Bulls game a couple years ago," Jason explained. "I told you about it. You probably weren't listening."

"Sounds about right," she smirked.

Phil stared at her for a moment, trying to figure out who she was. Then, he made the connection. _This_ was Jordan Wyatt. He'd heard her on the radio a bunch of times but hadn't ever actually seen what she looked like. She had a nice voice but he'd always just assumed that she had a face for radio. In addition to her show on The Score, she did a wrestling podcast with a couple of guys that he listened to every once in a while. He'd always thought she was smart and funny. Apparently, she was also hot.

"I'm Phil Brooks," he introduced himself.

"Jordan Wyatt," she smiled, waving. "I would shake your hand but I think you and I are past that."

"I think you're right," he laughed as they all moved toward the desk where the mics and chairs were set up. He spotted a pack of Starburst on the table. The individual candies were spread out on the table, still in their wrapping, in order by color. Jordan sat in the seat closest to them, picking one up and unwrapping it.

He smirked up at Jordan, "You're one of those?"

She grinned, popping the candy into her mouth, "The pink ones are my favorite."

* * *

_5:20PM_

"Okay ladies and gentleman, along with complaining about how gross it is in here, we've been teasing a special surprise guest all show and it's time to bring him on," Jason said, pressing a button. He nodded to the producer who played the opening bars of "Cult of Personality".

"That's right folks, we are being joined by none other than WWE Champion, Chicago's own CM Punk," Jordan said, smiling over at Phil. "Thanks for comin' in today Punk."

"Thanks for having me guys," Phil said. "It's nice to be home. It only took me like 15 minutes to get here today."

"Then you obviously live closer than I do," Jason laughed.

They talked for a few minutes about what was going on in Punk's storyline with Chris Jericho and took a few phone calls from fans.

"Now Punk, I have to make sure you're aware that _Jordan_ here is a _huge_ fan of yours," Jason smiled.

Jordan's eyes widened and she could feel her cheeks getting red as she glared at Jason, "Oh really? You're gonna go there?"

She made a point to never fangirl out in front of any of the athletes she met no matter how much she liked them. Being a woman in her field, there were lots of reasons why that wasn't the greatest idea. Truthfully, she was a big fan of Punk. She thought the Summer of Punk was the greatest thing to happen to the wrestling business in a long time.

"Absolutely we're gonna go there," Jason laughed.

"You know I actually knew that," Phil said, drawing Jordan's eyes away from her friend. "I've heard a few of her podcasts."

Jordan stared, surprised. She and Matt did a weekly wrestling podcast that was hosted on their show's website.

"You have?" she asked.

"I have," he confirmed, smiling at her. "In fact I distinctly remember a show where you longed for the return of the hair bra."

Jordan laughed out loud and had to lean away from her microphone. She recovered quickly, "You heard that?"

"I did," he nodded. "And I have to say, I agree that it was magical but..it was pretty difficult to maintain."

He laughed and Jordan joined him. His laugh was a strangely infectious sound.

"I can't believe you listen to our podcast," she shook her head.

"Believe it," he said. "It's pretty awesome. And there's a real lack of funny, insightful wrestling commentary out there, you know? There's lots of people saying 'I hate this, I hate that' but they don't talk about anything they do like and they don't talk about what they want to see."

Jordan felt her smile grow wider as he looked at her. She never tired of hearing compliments where her work was concerned. Hearing good things from one of the people she talked about was especially flattering.

"The funny thing can't be about you, he must be talking about Matt," Jason laughed. "The insightful part too. That can't be you."

Jordan held up her middle finger at him and smiled. He took a picture of her with his phone, "That's going on the show page."

"We're gonna have to take a break now, but CM Punk will be with us for another half hour so make sure you call in, text, or email your questions," Jordan said. "Or if you don't have any questions, just call to tell us how much you hate Jason. We'll be back in 5 on 670 the Score."

* * *

"Is it wrong that I'm excited to get on the red line just for the air conditioning?" Jordan laughed.

Phil held the door open for her and Jason as they walked out of the station's headquarters. He had a great time on their show. He'd stayed until they signed off at 6 and after that, Jason explained that he and Jordan had a tradition of going out together after shows on Wednesdays. That night, they were going to a Cubs night game with the Cardinals. Jason invited him along and Jordan seemed to like the idea so he agreed.

"That's not the weirdest thing I've learned about you today," Phil smirked. "That OCD Starburst thing was pretty intense."

"Oh shutup," she laughed, rolling her eyes. "I'm sure you've seen weirder things."

"I guess so," he shrugged.

She looked over at him, smiling playfully, "I don't hesitate to hit people I've just met. Keep that in mind."

"I will," he put his hands up. "But be warned, I fight back."

"Duly noted," she laughed, hoisting her purple laptop bag up onto her shoulder.

"You need help with that?" he asked.

"I got it, thank you," she smiled, pulling a CTA card out of her pocket as they approached the station. They walked down the stairs and Phil looked over at Jason who was texting someone. He had almost forgotten the other man was there. There was something mesmerizing about Jordan's smile. It seemed to make everything around her fade into the background.

"There should be a train in two minutes," Jason said, putting his phone back into his pocket as they reached the platform.

"Alright, if we're gonna do this, I have got to change clothes," Jordan said, gingerly pulling her shirt away from her flat stomach. "I feel like a used gym towel."

"Wasn't that your nickname in high school?" Jason smirked.

"Fuck off," she laughed, punching him in the arm. "Seriously, I can't wear this much longer."

Jason rolled his eyes.

"Shut it Garrett," Jordan laughed. "I live two seconds away from the red line. I can meet you guys there."

"Alright, just don't take forever," Jason warned. He looked over at Phil, "This one is always late."

"Not true," Jordan put up a hand in her defense.

"Correction, she is always early for work. And late for everything else," Jason said.

Jordan smiled, "_That_ is true."

* * *

_7:30PM_

"She said she'll be here in a minute," Jason put his phone into his pocket.

Phil shrugged, "That works."

He was having a great time, as he usually did when he got to spend time at Wrigley Field. Jason was good company. He had to admit, though, he was wondering when Jordan would show up. After a few minutes, he heard loud laughing and then saw her stepping over a group of guys that just _had_ to be frat boys. He thought she looked good when he first saw her but after a shower and a change of clothes, she looked phenomenal. Her long hair flowed in waves past her shoulder and she looked to be wearing a tiny bit of makeup. She had changed into a red and white button down shirt with the sleeves rolled up to her elbows and a new pair of dark denim shorts. Phil stood up, reaching out a hand to help her as she stepped over a guy who was so into the game that he didn't seem to notice her trying to get by him. She placed her hand in his and he helped her over.

"Thanks," she smiled, taking the seat beside him. She smelled like clean laundry and flowers. "Those guys over there bought me a beer."

"I hope they didn't roofie you," Jason laughed.

"I saw the can opened and poured, thank you very much," Jordan took a sip and then put it down in front of her. She reached across Phil, pinching Jason's cheek, "Don't be jealous Jay. I'm sure we'll find a girl who'll want to roofie you someday."

When she reached across him, Phil noticed a few of her buttons were undone and for the second time that day he caught a glimpse of her bra. This one was black silk and Phil had to clear his throat and force his eyes straight ahead. This was going to be an interesting night.

* * *

"I'm surprised you don't get mobbed at things like that," Jordan said as she and Phil walked down the street away from Wrigley.

"That's one of the great things about this city," Phil smiled proudly. "People don't really bug you like they do in other places. They just leave you be, let you do your thing. And, honestly, I'm not as recognizable as one might think."

Jordan laughed, sure that the last part wasn't completely true. Chicago was a great city for wrestling fans and a good 90% of them _loved_ their hometown hero. She looked over at him, studying his face as they waited to cross at a light. She'd always thought he was pretty good looking on TV but not exactly her type. There was something about him in person, though, that made him infinitely more attractive. He talked and moved with such confidence and his personality was right up her alley. Jason had left right after the game when he got a call from a girl he'd been seeing and Phil had offered to walk her home. Wrigleyville could be a crazy place after a Cubs game and she was grateful for the offer. She looked over at him again and caught him looking at her. He looked ahead quickly and she laughed, shaking her head. She couldn't quite figure out what was going on between them. They'd spent most of the night talking and ignoring Jason but she couldn't totally tell if he was attracted to her or not. A few times she'd caught him looking but that didn't necessarily mean anything. She probably wasn't his type anyway.

"So what are you gonna do now?" he asked as she pointed out their next turn.

"Well…I'm not totally sure," she shrugged. "I don't have any assignments due right now, I finished an article for the Tribune this morning. I'm gonna be up pretty late. We go back to our normal time tomorrow, 6 to 10 so I have to keep myself up late so I can sleep during the day and not be groggy during the show. That's the thing I hate about covering other times. It throws my sleep schedule off."

"I'm not a big sleeper," he shrugged.

She laughed, "That's an odd thing to say. That's like saying 'Eh, I'm not too keen on breathing'."

"I try to do that when I have to," he smirked. They reached her building and she pulled her keys out of her back pocket, "Well since I'm gonna be up and you're all anti-sleep, you wanna come in?"

He shrugged, "Why not?"

* * *

Phil looked around her living room as she went into the kitchen to get each of them something to drink. She had a very nice place, big and clean with comfortable looking furniture and interesting pictures on the walls. With a place like this, she had to have done pretty well for herself.

"I have Diet Pepsi, Sprite Zero, Crystal Light, and water," she called from the kitchen.

"You mix your Coke and Pepsi products," he smirked. "I'm not sure how I feel about that."

She laughed, "What do you want, weirdo?"

"Water's good," he said, standing near the mantel. There was a picture front and center in a silver frame of Jordan in a Northwestern hoodie and former Chicago Bears star linebacker Harry Cartwright. He was a legend in the game of football, especially in Chicago. "Harry Cartwright, huh? Did you interview him for the show?"

She comes back into the room, kicking off her sandals. She sat on the couch, "Actually, I met him at birth. Or rather, a few moments after. He's my dad."

"_Harry Cartwright_ is your dad?" He stared.

She nodded, shrugging.

He looked at the mantel and saw a few more pictures of her and Harry, including one of her in her cap and gown.

"I use my mom's last name," she explained. "I try not to get any unfair advantages."

"Do you know how awesome that is?" Phil asked.

She laughed, "It got me lots of cool points in high school."

He saw a picture of her and New York Jets defensive lineman Wesley Cartwright, presumably, her brother. Next to that there was a picture of her with one of the NFL's most controversial players, Dexter Howard, all pro defensive back for the St. Louis Rams. Phil wasn't a huge football fan but everyone knew who Dexter Howard was. The guy was a mess.

"You related to him too?" he asked.

"That was more of a.._work_ thing," she waved a hand. She turned the TV on, flipping to Sports Center.

He turned to look at her. She was sitting with her back against the arm of the couch, her legs in front of her, knees against the back cushion. With the way her legs were bent, he could just barely make out black panties peeking out from her shorts. He sat beside her on the couch, laughing at what she'd chosen to watch, "You're very dedicated to your work."

"I'm nothing if not professional," she smirked, putting her water bottle on the coffee table. "I hardly ever let my guests see me without pants."

"Your guests on your show or guests in your home?" he lifted an eyebrow at her. She looked caught off guard by the question and smiled, biting her bottom lip.

"That depends on the guest," she shrugged. She shifted positions, folding her legs under her and leaning closer to him. He had one arm draped over the back of the couch and she looked at his hand, tracing one of his tattoos with her finger. "Did these hurt?"

"Not that much," he shrugged. "The knuckles feel a little weird but these were so quick I barely noticed. I have a pretty high pain tolerance."

She was still touching his hand and he shifted a little in his seat, looking down at his lap, wishing he hadn't worn jeans that day. His pants were starting to feel tight.

"Do you have any tattoos?" he asked, wondering if she had any idea what she was doing to him.

"A couple," she answered. "But they're all hidden."

This time he was the one to bite his lip as he looked her over, wanting to know exactly where those tattoos were. He'd seen her practically half naked earlier and hadn't seen a single one.

"If I can guess where they are, can I see them?" he smirked.

"You think you're gonna be able to guess?" she asked, scooting just a little closer to him.

Her knees touched his thigh and he nodded, "I think I can. I know these things."

He tucked her hair behind her right ear, rubbing his thumb just behind her ear, "I'm gonna guess there's one right there."

She shivered at his touch and he smiled as she turned her head, "Good job."

He leaned forward, seeing a small tattoo of an anchor behind her ear. He ran his thumb over it again and she closed her eyes. He moved his hand to the back of her neck and pulled her forward, kissing her lips. She melted into him, parting her lips and welcoming his tongue. Her lips felt absolutely perfect and he deepened their kiss, guiding her down onto her back. She smiled against his lips, slowly pulling away, "You got one, there's two more."

He smiled at her and then kissed her neck. He moved his lips across her collarbone and undid one of the buttons on her shirt, admiring her ample breasts. He ran his hand up her side, his thumb stopping just below the bottom of her bra on her left side, "Right here."

Her mouth fell open and she narrowed her eyes at him, "Do you have x-ray vision?"

"We made a deal," he smirked, sitting back. "Now show me."

She smiled, seeming to enjoy his command. She got up on her knees, unbuttoning her shirt slowly. She slid the shirt off and dropped it behind the coach. Phil felt his erection harden that much more as he watched her. He pulled her onto his lap and placed soft kisses on her stomach, just below her bra. She moaned and he trailed his kisses over to her side, remembering the tattoo. Just below her left breast she had a small tattoo of a pair of headphones.

"Cute," he laughed, placing a kiss below the tattoo.

She pushed him back and kissed him again with more urgency this time. Phil moaned into her mouth, his hands gripping her hips.  
"I'll find the other one later," he said.

"I'm sure you will," she said, pulling up the bottom of his shirt. She pulled it off over his head, tossing it aside. He pulled her back to him, catching her lips, his tongue quickly finding hers. She moved forward on his lap and his head fell back at the sensation. "Just so you know..I don't normally do this."

He smiled, reaching forward and unbutton the top of her shorts, "Neither do I."

She got up, pushing the shorts down over her hips and Phil put his hand on the back of her knee, bringing her back down onto him. He rubbed a hand up her thigh, stopping when his thumb reached the edge of her panties. He could tell that she was turned on but he looked up at her, searching for a sign that she was sure of what they were doing. She grabbed the back of his neck and kissed him again. That was all the sign he needed.

"Where's your bedroom?" he asked, knowing he wouldn't be able to control himself much longer.

"You need to do your business in a bed Brooks?" she teased.

"Jordan, there are things that I wanna do to you that require more space than this couch allows," he said hungrily.

"Well then, by all means, follow me," she got up, taking his hand and leading him down a hallway. He pulled her hand before they reached their destination, pressing her against the wall and taking her lips with his again. He slid his hand down over her stomach and into her panties, deepening the kiss when he felt how wet she was for him. He groaned deep in his throat. He hadn't wanted anyone this badly in a long time. He pressed her harder against the wall, driving two of his fingers into her. She gasped as he used his thumb to rub her clit, moving his fingers faster. He trailed his kisses to her neck, his other hand finding it's way into her silky hair. Her breathing quickened and she moaned, her hips beginning to move with his hand.

"_Fuck_," she gasped, her nails digging into his shoulder. He kissed her again, feeling himself growing almost painfully hard. He wanted to fuck her so badly he could barely breathe. She pulled him closer to her, moaning into his mouth as he drove his fingers faster. He pulled out of the kiss slowly, looking at her. Her head was tilted back, her eyes closed. She was biting her bottom lip. He pushed his fingers into her harder.

"Oh _God_," she moaned, opening her eyes.

"Feel good?" he smirked.

She nodded, breathless.

"You want it faster?" he kissed her.

She moaned loudly, nodding.

"Tell me," he rubbed her clit faster, loving how tight and wet she felt around his fingers.

"Faster," she breathed. "Oh _God _please."

He quickened his pace, and her nails dug into him again.

"Are you gonna come for me baby?" he asked.

"Yes," she moaned, her hips moving with his hand. "_God_ yes."

He kissed her again, his tongue wrestling with hers. She moaned louder and he could feel her growing tighter around his fingers. Her body tensed, "_Oh Fuck_!"

He drove his fingers into her one last time, kissing her as her orgasm hit her. He slid his fingers out of her, raising them to her lips. She took his hand, taking his fingers into her mouth, licking them clean, her brown eyes looking into his. He kissed her again and she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer to her. He pressed into her, eliciting a soft moan as he slowly pulled out of the kiss, resting his forehead against hers, both of them breathing heavily. He looked into her eyes and she kissed him again, softly. He became aware of his hand, still clutched in her hair. He let go, allowing his hand to rest on the side of her face. He ran his thumb lightly across her bottom lip and she looked into his eyes, the slightest hint of a smile touching her lips.

She smiled, looking at a door at the end of the hall, "The bedroom's right there."

* * *

**Well, what do you think so far? Please remember to review!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks SO much to all who read, reviewed, alerted or marked the story as a favorite! I wasn't expecting such a great response. I hope you enjoy the next chapter! I'm already hard at work on the third.  
**

**Chapter 2…**

Phil sat in the terminal waiting for his flight to be called, trying his best not to fall asleep. He always functioned well on little sleep but after the night he spent with Jordan, he needed some rest. She seemed to have an endless supply of energy and he was happy to help her use it. A smile played at his lips as he thought about her. He wished he hadn't been forced to leave so early but he had to get to the airport. He'd stopped at his place, picked up his bag, and then headed straight for the airport. He told her he would call her and he meant it. He definitely wanted to see her again.

He pulled his phone out of his pocket and scrolled through the numbers. When he didn't see his name, he scrolled through again. He went to his recently dialed numbers and didn't see any numbers that weren't already programmed into his phone.

"Shit," he spat, shaking his head. He forgot to get her number.

* * *

Jordan yawned as she walked to her couch, turning on her phone. She plopped down onto the couch and turned the TV on. She was completely exhausted in the best possible way. Phil had left earlier with a promise to call her and she wasn't totally sure if he meant it but she didn't plan on dwelling on it. She selected Jason's name and called him, watching the ticker on SportsCenter.

"Jojo," Jason said cheerfully. "How are you this morning?"

"You'll never guess what I did last night," Jordan got up and went into the kitchen. She knew Jason hated when she treated him like a girlfriend but her best girlfriend was out of town so he was the best possible substitute.

"You had sex with Punk?" Jason suggested.

"_Jason_!" Jordan feigned offense, pulling a bottle of water out of the fridge. "How did you know?"

"Jordan, a blind man could see that was gonna happen," Jason laughed. "You two were eye humping each other all night."

"Eye humping Jay? Really?" she said disapprovingly. "Besides, I don't just sleep with every guy who stares at me."

"I didn't say you do," Jason said. "But I've seen you around a lot of guys and you don't look at all of 'em like that. Look, it's obvious that you had fun but…are you sure that was the best idea?"

"Why wouldn't it be?" she asked, leaning against her counter.

"You know why Jo," Jason said incredulously. "I just don't want you getting yourself into trouble."

"I'm not gonna get in any trouble Jay," Jordan insisted, rolling her eyes. "Besides, nothing's gonna come of it. It was a one time thing."

"You sure about that?"

"Positive," Jordan answered. "There's nothing to worry about."

* * *

2 Weeks Later…

"That's it for the show tonight ladies and gentleman," Jordan said. "We'll be back tomorrow at 6 on The Score."  
Once they got the signal that the show was officially off air, Jordan took off her headphones, hanging them over her microphone. She'd filled in as a producer on the mid-day show so she'd been working for almost 10 hours with no break. She was tired and ready to get the hell out of the studio.

"Guys I'm gonna skip drinks tonight," she said, giving each of them a quick hug.

"You alright?" Matt asked.

"Oh yeah, just ready to go home," she assured them. "I'll see you tomorrow."

She pulled her phone out of her pocket as she walked out of the booth, picking her purse up on the way. She unlocked the screen on the way, seeing that she had a texts from her brother and her friend Celia. She decided to get back to both of them later, dropping her phone into her purse. As soon as it dropped into the depths of her bag, it started ringing. She pulled it out, rolling her eyes when she saw who it was. She was not in the mood.

* * *

"Thanks again Blake," Phil smiled at the young assistant as they stepped off of the elevator.

"The show just ended so they should all still be in there," Blake pointed to the studio. "I'm just gonna head back downstairs."

Phil walked down the hall toward the studio door. He couldn't wait to see Jordan. He'd found himself thinking about her quite a few times in the last couple weeks but he hadn't had the opportunity to come home. He thought it would be weird to show up at her house so he was doing the best thing he could think of. Before he reached the door, he saw her walking out. She was wearing a Red Hot Chili Peppers shirt with the sleeves cut off and a very short red skirt. Her dark waves were topped with a backwards Bulls hat. She stopped at first when she saw him, looking confused. Then, her lips spread into a smile, "Well, well, what are you doing here?"

"I was just in the neighborhood, thought I'd stop by," he joked. He put his hands in his pockets. She seemed happy to see him but he would understand if she was a little pissed. "Listen, I know I said I was gonna call but…I sort of forgot to get your number...You don't completely hate me, do you?"

"I don't even hate you a little," she stepped closer to him. "No worries."

"Good," he smiled. "You heading home?"

She nodded, "Yeah it's been a really long day. I'm pretty beat."

"It's late, you shouldn't be going home by yourself," he smirked. "There might be a Cubs game tonight…You want some company?"

Her smile widened and then faltered, "You know…I would _really_ like that but..there's something I kind of have to tell you."

"Okay," he shrugged. "What's up?"

"Well," she looked down at her hands and then back up at him. "I um…I have a uh.."

"Baby! You ready to go?"

Phil turned around when he heard someone obnoxiously bellowing. He saw Dexter Howard coming toward them wearing sunglasses and a suit.

He stopped a few feet away, "Babe? You ready?"

Phil looked over at Jordan who sighed, "I'll be right there."

Dex took off his sunglasses and gave her a look.

"I said I'll be there in a minute," she snipped.

Dexter rolled his eyes, "Alright well I'm going downstairs. I'm not about to leave my Benz double parked. Hurry up."

With that, Dexter turned and went back to the elevator, pulling out a cell phone.

Phil turned back to Jordan, smiling, "You were saying?"

"Dexter," she sighed. "I have a..Dex."

"You didn't mention that before," he said, leaning against the wall.

"Yeah," she sighed. "Dex and I were broken up when we.."

Phil nodded, "Got it."

"I'm sorry for any weirdness," she smiled apologetically.

Phil couldn't say he wasn't disappointed but..he still liked her. He didn't want this to be the last time he saw her. He shrugged, "It's okay. We can just be friends."

"I would really like that," she smiled. He took his cell phone out of his pocket and she took it from him, dialing a number. He heard her phone ringing in her purse and then she smiled, winking and handing his back to him, "Now you don't have any excuse not to call."

"You better go," Phil said. "Dex's _Benz_ is double parked."

She rolled her eyes, giving him a kiss on the cheek, "I'll see you soon."

He watched her walk away and shook his head. That was not how he expected this to go.

"I wouldn't worry about Hurricane Dex."

Phil turned when he heard Jason Garrett's voice. Jason was standing near the studio door, shaking his head.

"It's not exactly a year round thing," Jason laughed. "They're on and off like a light switch. Dex has a tendency to..forget how lucky he is."

Phil nodded, "Good to know."

* * *

_The Next Day…_

Phil tossed a baseball into the air with his left hand and caught it with his right. He'd been doing the same thing for the last five minutes. He was bored and restless. This was the first day in weeks that he hadn't had a jam packed schedule and he didn't know what to do with himself. Colt was on the road. His sister was on vacation. He wasn't really in the mood for either of his parents. It didn't help matters that the more time he had to himself, the more he thought about Jordan. When he saw her the night before he'd nearly jumped her right there. He couldn't understand it. It was mind boggling to him that a girl who seemed so awesome would be with someone who was, by all accounts, a total douche bag. Dexter Howard had been a star in college, breaking all kinds of records and winning just about every award he was eligible for as a defensive back. He was the 6th pick in the draft the year he came into the league. His first year he looked to be on track to become one of the best ever to play his position. He was a huge trash talker, which got him into trouble but he broke 3 long standing NFL defensive records and was named rookie of the year and defensive player of the year. His third year, despite his antics, the team signed him to a record deal, making him the highest paid safety in NFL history. When the season started, he was due to serve a 4 game suspension for multiple conduct violations including punching one of the Rams' trainers in the face after an argument about how to tape his ankle.

It didn't make sense. Jordan was successful, she didn't seem to be lacking in self-esteem. What the hell did she see in Dexter?

He picked up his phone and opened the web browser, typing in a search for Dexter Howard and Jordan Wyatt. The moment he hit enter, he felt completely ridiculous but, it was already done so he had to look. The first thing that came up was a picture of the couple from the ESPY awards. Dexter was in a gray suit and Jordan was in a very short royal blue dress. She looked amazing. They looked like a living, breathing magazine cover. He scrolled past the image search, knowing that looking at too many pictures of Jordan was probably not the best idea.

He scrolled through the headlines. He stopped when he saw one that caught his eye.

**6 Months after broken engagement, Dexter 'Hawk' Howard is a father. **

Phil clicked the link and read through the article. From it he learned that Dexter and Jordan had been engaged almost for almost a year. In December 2010, Jordan abruptly called off the engagement. 6 months later, a former Dallas Cowboys cheerleader gave birth to Dexter's son, his second child. He frowned, deciding to stop cyber stalking Jordan. He obviously wasn't going to get her out of his head so he closed his browser, found her number, and called her. The phone rang a few times and then he heard the sound of Lionel Richie's "Hello."

After a few bars of the song, he heard Jordan quickly say, "This is Jordan Wyatt. Leave a message."

He hung up, tossing the phone onto the couch. He hated leaving messages. He couldn't really explain why, it was just a thing.

He was about to turn the TV on when he heard his phone beep, signaling a text message. He picked it back up seeing that the text was from Jordan.

_Sorry couldn't pick up. On the phone with my agent. What's up? Miss me already?_

He smirked, typing a reply, _Actually, I was just sitting here thinking about how awesome your dad is. Wonder what he's doing right now._

Her reply came quickly, _He's taken but my brother is single. I can put in a good word for you._

_Thanks_ he typed back. _What are you doing today?_

_I have to go feed my friend's evil cat. After that I got nothin until show prep time._

_Where does this evil cat reside?_ He asked.

_Lincoln and Montrose_

He smiled, _By Bad Apple?_

The Bad Apple was one of his favorite restaurants in the city. Their burgers were some of the best he'd ever had.

_Yup. Why? You hungry?_

_I could go for a Wagyu burger. Wanna join me?_

_Why not? Meet me there in an hour._

* * *

Jordan looked at the wrap on her hand, hoping her cut didn't bleed through. Her friend Celia's cat Billy Idol was an evil little beast and had jumped off of one of those cat condos the second she opened the door, clawing her left hand. It still stung like hell but she'd cleaned it and wrapped it up before she left. She walked into The Bad Apple, spotting Phil quickly. He was at a table near the front window, looking over the menu. He was wearing a ring of honor t-shirt that looked worn and fit him perfectly. She took a deep breath, trying to ignore the stirring she felt inside her when she saw him. She reminded herself that, ridiculous as he was, Dex was her boyfriend. She'd never cheated before, she wasn't about to start now.

"What are you lookin' at the menu for?" she smiled, walking up to the table. "I thought you were getting the Wagyu."

* * *

Phil looked up from the menu when he heard Jordan's voice. Did she have to look so good? She was wearing a thin strapped pale blue dress with white polka dots and a flowy skirt that stopped just below mid-thigh and a pair of black high heeled ankle boots.

"You didn't have to get all dolled up for me," he smiled.

She rolled her eyes, taking the seat across from him, "Why do people always think if you're wearing a dress you're 'dressed up'?" she asked. "I just happen to like dresses. They can be very casual. I wear them a lot. In fact, I went through a phase between ages 4 and 6 where they were all I would wear. My dad _hated_ it."

"Sounds like it would have been annoying," he smirked.

"It was adorable, thank you very much," she laughed.

The waitress came over, smiling at Jordan, "Can I get you anything?"

"Can I just get the Smokey and the Brisket and a glass of water?" Jordan smiled, not even looking at the menu.

"Of course," she smiled, turning to Phil, "Wagyu for you?"

"It's like you know my soul," he smiled, handing her the menu. "I'll put those in for you and bring drinks in just a bit."

They both thanked her and when she left, they looked at each other. There was palpable tension between them but Phil reminded himself that he had invited her out as a friend, not to ogle her.

"So how was the cat?" he asked.

"Wretched as usual," she frowned, holding up her bandaged left hand. "Little asshole tried to take my hand off."

"He cant be that bad," Phil laughed.

"Oh he is," she pulled her phone out, finding a picture and sliding the phone toward him. Phil laughed when he saw one of the most maniacal looking cats he'd ever seen. He had long patchy hair and crazy eyes. The picture seemed to have been taken mid-hiss.

"Celia rescued him 3 years ago from behind a bar," Jordan explained. "He's been a dick ever since. Even to her. There's another one in there of him diving on Jason from the top of a bookcase." She slid her finger over the screen but the slideshow went the other way and Phil was treated to a picture of Jordan and a blonde in bikinis, standing by a pool.

"Sorry," she laughed. "Stupid phone."

"You totally did that on purpose," he teased, sliding the phone back toward her before he lost all focus. "Do you really have to rub it in?"

Jordan laughed, rolling her eyes. She definitely hadn't shown Phil the picture of her and Celia on purpose but she couldn't say she didn't notice the look that crossed his face when he saw it. If looks could take your clothes off, she would have been naked in an instant. She found the picture of Billy attacking Jason and showed it to him, eliciting a warm laugh. She would have to remember to thank the little shit for breaking the tension.

"So…I told myself I wasn't gonna do this but, I gotta ask," Phil looked at her. "You and Dexter Howard?"

She looked down at the table and then back up at him, shrugging. She'd been asked that question about a thousand times and she really hated hearing it, for a myriad of reasons.

"We met in high school," she explained. "I got selected for this program where we got to go around and interview the nation's best high school athletes…We started dating right away, we've been on and off ever since."

"And how long were you off when we…" he gestured between them and then looked over at an older couple who looked like tourists and seemed to be very interested in the two of them.

"About 3 weeks," she answered. "We just got back together last week."

"Why do you do it?" he asked.

She sighed, resting her chin on her hand and shrugging again, "I guess I'm just a glutton for punishment. Or an idiot. Maybe both. We've just been together so long and…I don't know."

She shook her head, laughing, "There has to be other things for friends to talk about, isn't there?"

She hated getting into personal conversations like this. It always made her start looking for the exit. She didn't want to leave though. She was having a good time. Fortunately he didn't look like he wanted to press further.

"So..if your dad is that awesome, I've gotta know who your mom is," Phil smiled, changing the subject.

She winced, laughing, "That is a sob story you don't wanna hear and I don't wanna tell."

He gave her an apologetic look and she shrugged, "My turn to change the subject. I got some pretty great news today."

"Oh yeah?" he looked interested.

She hadn't told anyone yet and it made her giddy just to have the opportunity to say it out loud, "Sports Illustrated is publishing an article I wrote."

Phil smiled happily which in turn, made her smile more.

"That's fantastic," he said.

"I thought so," she smiled. "I found out today."

"What's the article about?"

"It's about the debate between former pro football players on whether or not they should let their own kids play. God, I spent so much time on it. I did tons of interviews. Merrill Hodge, Kurt Warner, Bart Scott…I'm totally rambling. I'm sorry."

"No it sounds awesome," Phil waved off her apology. "You're pretty bad ass Jordan Wyatt."

She smiled, "I try."

* * *

"Thanks for walking me," Jordan said as she and Phil walked into her office at Score studios. She and Phil had talked about her article for over an hour while eating their food. When they were done, he'd offered to escort her to the studio. Not wanting their time together to end, she accepted.

"Of course," he shrugged.

"So what are you doing after this?" she asked.

"I might actually try to get some sleep when I get home," Phil shrugged. "I don't really have any plans."

"You better be listening to my show," she smirked, leaning against her desk, putting her palms down behind her. Her dress rode up her thighs and she noticed Phil bite his bottom lip. She crossed one leg over the other, bringing the dress up further. His eyes met hers and she smiled sweetly at him.

"Are you messing with me?" he asked, slowly closing the distance between them.

"I don't know what you mean," she smiled.

"I think you do," he smiled, his hazel eyes boring into her. She had thought about their night together many times since it happened but with him this close to her; thoughts of him touching her were completely clouding her brain.

"What would you do if I was?" she asked, giving him a challenging look.

He leaned close to her, his lips hovering just above hers. He smelled incredible and her breath caught in her throat as he asked, "What would you want me to do?"

His lips brushed hers as he spoke and unable to control herself any longer, she kissed him, softly at first. His hands touched the sides of her face and she uncrossed her legs, allowing him to press himself right up against her. His first clenched in her hair at the nape of her neck and Jordan felt a stirring inside her that she hadn't felt since the last time they were together. She slid her hand under his shirt, enjoying the feel of his stomach. He pushed up the hem of her dress and she moaned at the feel of his hands on her thighs. She reached for his belt, fumbling with the buckle.

There was a shrill ringing and Jordan was jarred out of her haze. She pulled away from the kiss, looking down at the phone on her desk. It almost never rang. Most people knew she never used it and just called her cell phone.

She grabbed the handset, "Jordan Wyatt."

Phil watched her hungrily and she slid back on the desk to distance herself.

Her head was spinning as she heard Derek, one of the mid-day producers on the other end of the line, "Hey Jordan. I didn't think you'd be in yet. I figured I'd leave you a message."

"Yeah well, I'm here a little early," Jordan said, hoping she didn't sound as breathless as she felt. Phil's hands had stilled on her thighs when the phone rang but they started moving again, sliding up over her hips and pulling her dress along with it.

She gave him a warning look but he just smiled at her.

"So what was it that you wanted?" Jordan asked Derek.

Phil smiled, eyes skimming her body and then meeting hers again. Channeling her entire reserve of willpower, she put her hand on his chest, pushing him an arm's length away, glaring at him. He took her hand, linking their fingers and moved her arm out of the way, closing the gap between them again.

"Well, we were wondering if you could get Dex in for an interview with Dan and Terry," Derek explained.

Jordan tried her best to focus as Derek spoke but she couldn't with Phil all over her. She brought her right leg up between them, gently pressing her stiletto heel against his chest. She had stronger legs than she did arms so she knew that would actually keep him at bay. She realized when a sly smile spread across his face that she'd probably made the wrong move.

* * *

Phil groaned when Jordan brought her leg up between them. He knew she was trying to stop him but all she'd done was give him easier access and a perfect view of her red panties.

"I can _try_, when were you looking to have him on?" Jordan asked, her voice shaking slightly.

Phil wrapped his hand around her ankle and moved it to rest on his shoulder. She bit her bottom lip and Phil hooked his fingers into the sides of her panties, ready to slide them off.

"Okay, I'll talk to Dex and get back to you…You're welcome. Bye."

Jordan slammed the phone down on the receiver, breathing heavily.

"We can't do this," she breathed, sliding her foot off of his shoulder. "We said we were gonna be _friends_."

"You're right," Phil moved his hands to lay flat on the desk. He was close enough to kiss her again but he forced himself to control the urge. "You have a boyfriend."

"Yes, yes I do," she nodded. "And as long as that's true.."

"This," he looked down between them. "Can't happen."

* * *

**Okay people, what do you think?**


	3. Chapter 3

**Sorry this chapter took longer to post than I expected. I had some craziness going on but it's all settled now. As always I hope you like the chapter and please review!**

**Chapter 3…**

Jason looked across the table at Jordan as their waitress brought out their beers. She was looking down at her phone, smirking. Matt was sitting beside him, talking about the interview they'd done on the show with Bears offensive lineman Gabe Carimi.

"Who you are you texting?" Jason asked. "It can't be Dex 'cause you look happy."

"None of your business," Jordan made a face at him, ignoring the comment about Dex. She was used to it by now. There had been a time when they were in college that Jason and Dex got along, until the first time he cheated on Jordan. After that, Jason had no use for the other man. He couldn't convince Jordan to cut him out of her life but he wasn't going to pretend to be okay with it. Dexter often accused him of being jealous but in truth, he'd never been interested in Jordan in that way and he never would be. She was beautiful, that was clear as day and he appreciated it, but the moment they met, they just felt like brother and sister and that had never changed.

"She's talking to Punk," Matt smiled. "I looked over her shoulder when I came back from the bathroom."

"Dick," she glared at him. He threw a fry at her face and she tried unsuccessfully to catch it in her mouth. Laughing, she put her phone down on the table. "You need a life."

"Yours is more fun," Matt said, reaching over and picking up the fry he'd thrown. "I thought you were trying to stay away from that guy."

Jordan glared at Jason, seriously this time, and he winced. He had told Matt what was going on between Jordan and Phil but he told Matt to act like all he knew was that they went to the Cubs game together. He knew Jordan had told him that much.

"Don't be mad at him, he likes to gossip," Matt laughed. "The point still stands, what happened to staying away from him?"

"I didn't say I wasn't gonna _talk_ to him, I said I wasn't gonna _sleep_ with him," Jordan corrected. "Which is really easy to do when he hasn't been back in town in almost two weeks. I like talking to him. It's no big deal."

"No one said it was," Jason shrugged. "Hell, I barely know him and I like him more than Dex."

"You like _everyone_ better than Dex," Jordan laughed.

"True dat," Jason laughed, raising his glass for a toast. Matt tapped his glass with his own.

Jordan laughed, shaking her head. She was about to say something but her phone rang and her smile fell. She rolled her eyes, standing up, "Speak of the devil..I'll be right back."

* * *

"Put your phone away, we're celebrating!" Bryan Danielson slapped his hand on the table in front of Phil.

Phil laughed, looking up from his phone, "What exactly is it that we're celebrating?"

"My 'Yes' shirts are officially sold out," Bryan laughed. "All the years of hard work and perfecting my craft and the thing that gets over the most is the first word I ever learned."

"I'll toast to that," Stu Bennett laughed, raising his glass.

Phil laughed at his friends. He was thrilled for Bryan's success. He'd never dreamed back in the ROH days that they would be at the top of the business, especially not at the same time. He looked back down at his phone and Bryan shook his head, "This is what's wrong with Americans. We spend every waking moment on cell phones. Real communication has completely fallen by the wayside."

"You sound like my grandmother," Stu patted Bryan on the shoulder. "Leave him be. You know he and Colt have to check in with each other every few hours."

"You can both go to hell," Phil laughed, putting his phone down. Jordan had just told him she was going to have to text him later because her friends were being weird.

"Hostile bird at your 12 o'clock," Stu said, taking a sip of his drink.

Phil looked straight ahead and sighed when he saw Beth. She walked in with Nattie Neidhart, both of them shooting daggers his way. That night's Raw had been Beth's first show back in a month. He had hoped when she came back, things would be better between them. Apparently that wasn't going to happen.

He and Beth broke up almost 3 months earlier and she _still_ hated him. She claimed he'd lied to her. When they first started dating, he said he could see himself with her for a long time. Then, after 6 months, she started talking about engagement rings and weddings and kids. He told her that wasn't where his head was at and that started the fights. He was a liar, afraid of commitment, cheating on her, anything she could think of except for what he was: not ready to talk about marriage. He knew once the fighting was a part of his daily routine that he was done. He hadn't done anything wrong but she was constantly jumping down his throat. He sat her down to tell her and she slapped him and walked out. That was the last time they'd had a conversation. It bothered him that she hated him. He had cared a lot about her and her feelings but he'd repeatedly tried talking to her and she didn't want anything to do with it. Just before she got injured, he gave up. She probably hated him for that too.

"Hey, who's Jordan?"

Phil frowned, turning his attention back to his friends. Bryan had Phil's phone in his hand.

"Give me that," Phil took his phone back. "Weren't you just complaining about cell phones being the downfall of the nation?"

"I was," Bryan smiled mischievously. "But now I'm curious…who's Jordan?"

"None of your business."

* * *

Jordan stormed into her apartment, trying to slam the door behind her.

"Shit!" Dex exclaimed as the door hit him in the arm. "You trying to end my career?"

She ignored him, walking into the kitchen, dropping her purse on the center island. She took deep breaths, trying her best to calm herself before she killed Dex. He had called her from Angels and Kings, explaining that he had bought a couple bottles for himself and some friends and when it came time to pay the tab, he realized he forgot his wallet. She had to leave Jason and Matt and come pay his bar tab and all he'd said as they were charging her card was, "You're the best."

"Baby, don't be mad," he called from the living room. She stomped into the living room, amazed at his nerve. He was laying across the couch, remote in his hand, flipping through the channels. When he saw her, he flashed her his famous megawatt smile. She wanted to punch it right off of his face.

"Don't be mad?" she stared at him. "Dex, you just spent a _grand_ in a bar without making sure you even had your wallet? Who the hell does that?"

"I'm just lucky my baby is so reliable," he smiled. "Besides, it wasn't a big deal. You were able to cover it."

"You're a fucking millionaire!" she stomped her foot angrily. "I shouldn't have to!"

"J, why are you so mad?" he asked. "I can pay you back right now."

She just stared at him, silenced by the stupidity of his question.

"Look, I realized right when I got there that I didn't have my wallet but I figured they would comp it," Dex shrugged. "It happens all the time."

Jordan wondered if her eyes had turned red, "Did you seriously mean for that to make me _less_ angry?"

Jordan clenched her fists to keep from pulling her hair out. He was so maddeningly flippant about this and it made her want to punch him. He always did this. He acted like nothing was a big deal and made her feel crazy when she got upset.

"Look, I was gonna tell you before you got all angry," he smiled. "I was out tonight because I was celebrating. I have a surprise for you."

Jordan shook her head, walking toward the hall that led to her bedroom, "I don't want to know what it is."

"It would be an exclusive story for you," he called after her.

Jordan narrowed her eyes and turned around. He knew how to get her. She took another long, deep breath and walked back into the room, crossing her arms over her chest, "I'll bite. What's your surprise?"

"Well," he walked over to her, smiling brightly. He took her hands in his, "Your man is on the verge of becoming the next star player for the Chicago Bears."

Phil plopped down on the couch, turning on the TV. He had tried sleeping after he got back to the hotel but after an hour, he knew the attempt was futile. He picked up his phone and opened a new text to Jordan.

_How's my favorite radio host?_

He put the phone down next to him and leaned back, finding a South Park rerun. Bryan had tried to figure out who Jordan was all night but Phil kept telling him it was none of his business. He wasn't even sure why he was being evasive. Technically, he and Jordan were friends, nothing more. It wasn't a big deal.

His phone signaled a text message and he picked it up. She had answered with a single word.

_Miserable._

He frowned, typing his reply, _Why? What's wrong?_

One thing he had learned about Jordan so far was that she didn't seem big on sharing her emotions. He thought back to what she said about her mother. For a moment she had looked sad but she shook it away in an instant.

30 minutes later, Phil had watched the entire episode of South Park and she hadn't answered him. He knew it was a little silly to be concerned but he was. He picked up the phone and called her.

"Hello," came her pleasant answer.

"Hey," he said, relieved. "You sound…fine."

"You say that like it's a bad thing," she laughed.

"I just..you didn't answer," he said. "I wanted to check on you."

"Aww," he could hear her smiling. "That's cute. Sorry. I didn't answer because I got in the shower."

He smiled at the thought, "Can you keep your tempting imagery to yourself please?"

"Phil Brooks, are you picturing me naked?" she laughed.

"I might be," he smiled, the image of her body floating into his head. And what an immaculate image it was. Every line and curve was perfect.

"That's not a very _friend_ly thing to do," she sounded amused.

"Well if I remember correctly, I've done a lot of things to you that exactly _friend_ly," he smirked.

"Are you sure you didn't just call me because you're horny?" she laughed.

"I wasn't until I called you," he laughed, looking down at his shorts. "I called to find out why you're so miserable."

She sighed, "Dex."

"What'd he do?"

"He's trying to get traded to Chicago," she explained.

He laughed, "Um..as his girlfriend, I'm _pretty_ sure you're supposed to think that's a good thing."

"You've obviously never been Dex's girlfriend," she scoffed. "For the Bears, it would be great but..he's been staying here for the last week and…I just like him a lot better when he's in St. Louis," she laughed.

Phil's phone beeped and he frowned, pulling it away from his ear. The screen was dim and he saw a message that his battery was at 5%. He was always forgetting to put the damn thing on the charger.

"Hey, I gotta go. My phone's gonna die," he told her.

"Alright, I'll talk to you later," she said.

"Try not to miss me too much," he smiled.

She laughed, "_Bye_."

Just as he hung up, his phone beeped again.

"I get it," he rolled his eyes. He was walking to the get the charger out of his bag when he realized that the last beep had been another text.

It was from Jason Garrett.

_Surprise party to celebrate Jordan Wyatt being published in Sports Illustrated. Come out to her favorite bar Merkle's and be ready for a damn good time. Next Saturday. 9 PM. DO NOT TELL JORDAN! Text me back if you're coming. Guests are fine as long as I know how many. Hope to see you there._

* * *

_Saturday…_

"So explain this to me again…This girl is _just_ a friend."

"Yes Colt, she's just a friend," Phil rolled his eyes and he and his best friend walked down Clark Street toward Merkle's. "I met her when I did her radio show. We talk from time to time."

"_Why_ don't I believe you?" Scott Colton laughed.

"I have no idea," Phil shook his head.

"Maybe it's because when you talk about her, you get this weird look on your face," Scott said. "You're sure _nothing_ happened with you and her?"

"Okay," Phil stopped walking. "One night. That was it."

"I knew it!" Colt clapped his hands together.

Phil shook his head, resuming the walk, "She and Dexter were broken up."

"I knew there was something you weren't telling me," Colt pointed.

"It doesn't matter," Phil insisted. "We are just friends now. That's all."

"And that's all you want?"'

"Yes, it's all I want," Phil nodded as they reached the entrance to the bar. "Now can we stop talking about this please?"

"Yes sir," Colt saluted him as they walked in.

The place was pretty packed. Phil had no idea who was there for Jordan's party and who was just partying on a Saturday night. This wasn't exactly his crowd. They waded through the throngs and saw a sign leading to a back bar. They followed the sign and found a much less packed area. He spotted Jason quickly.

"Hey man," Jason walked over, smiling warmly. "Thanks for coming."

"Of course," Phil smiled. "Jason this is Colt, Colt this is Jason."

"Nice to meet you," Colt held out his hand. "Sorry we're a little late. I like to do a little extra primping when I meet new people."

Jason laughed, "No big deal."

"Is Jordan here?" Phil asked, looking around.

"Not yet," Jason answered. "Told you she's always late. I should've told her it was a work thing. Dex is bringing her so they might be too busy fighting."

"Is Dex really as bad as he's made out to be?" Phil asked, not sure what answer he was hoping for.

Jason laughed, "Absolutely. Jordan thinks he's got issues because he had a really rough childhood. I say that excuse only goes so far. Lots of people have hard childhoods and grow up just fine."

Phil nodded, "Exactly. You just have to make the choice not to let it define you."

"What does he do that's so bad?" Colt asked. "I mean, I've seen him be an ass on TV but he's a cocky football player, isn't that how a lot of them are?"

"Actually a lot of them are really good guys," Jason explained. "But with Dex..the guy you see on TV is all there is. His problem is that he's completely self centered and he's got a huge chip on his shoulder. He feels like people owe him something. He probably cares about Jo as much as he could care about anyone but..that's not sayin' much. Good example, Jordan almost got called up to the big leagues a while ago. Got an interview for an on air position with ESPN. Dex blew it for her."

"What'd he do?" Phil frowned.

"He'd been acting funny for like a week," Jason began. "Jordan was getting ready to leave for the interview and he was following her around the hotel room. He told her he needed to talk to her. So he sits her down and tells her that he's being sued for child support for a kid she knew _nothing_ about, who was, of course, born while they were together."

"He dropped that on her before the biggest interview of her life?" Colt stared.

"She was so upset she completely tanked the interview," Jason explained. "And for a woman in this business, you get that shot, you have to _nail_ it on the first try."

"Why the hell did she take him back?" Phil asked. He was even more confused now. Dex had damaged Jordan's career but she still stuck with him.

"A couple months later he came to Jordan with some sob story about how scared he was to be a father because he never had one. He said that Jordan and her family were the only family he ever had and he didn't know how to deal with this without her. She took pity on him and for a long time he was on his best behavior. Halfway through last season though, he went back to the real Dex. Partying all the time, getting caught coming out of the club with other girls. I think at this point, she's more a caretaker than a girlfriend. They don't act like they used to anymore. They're not really affectionate. I just hope he doesn't get traded here. She may always be stuck with his ass."

The room got louder and all three men turned, seeing Jordan walk in on Dex's arm. She looked amazing. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail and she wore a white sleeveless shirt tucked into a tight knee length pencil skirt with a map print. She looked genuinely surprised, her brown eyes wide.

She rushed over to Jason with Dex at her heels.

"Jay!" She hugged him tightly. "What is all this?"

"A surprise party, what the hell do you think it is?" he laughed.

"You know I hate surprises," Jordan said, though she seemed to be blinking away happy tears.

"I don't care woman," Jason laughed, tugging her ponytail. "I wanted to have a party."

She shook her head, slapping him on the shoulder. She spotted Phil and once again looked surprised, "Hey!"

She hugged him quickly, "What are you doing here? I thought you were still in Ohio."

He laughed, shrugging, "Obviously, I had to help keep up the ruse."

Colt cleared his throat and Phil rolled his eyes, "Jordan this is Colt. Colt, Jordan."

"It's really great to meet you," Jordan smiled. "I've seen you at so many ROH shows."

"Well I can assure you I have not seen you," Colt smiled. "I would remember it."

Jordan smiled, turning and touching Dex's arm. He turned away from the bar toward them, "Dex, this is Phil and Colt. Guys, this is Dex."

"Nice to meet you both," he smiled. He looked at Phil, "You're that wrestler guy."

Phil nodded, "We both are."

"Yeah but you're the one that's from around here…hold on, I'll remember it," he searched for the name.

"CM Punk," Jason rolled his eyes.

"Right, right," Dex snapped his fingers. "I used to _love_ the WWF when I was a kid. Hulk Hogan was my guy. Until I found out it was fake. I'm a big MMA fan these days. _Real_ fighting is incredible, you know?"

Jordan stared at him, "Dex, what the hell?"

"What?" Dexter shrugged. "These guys know it's fake."

"He's right Jordan," Phil smiled. "I also know I could probably kick his ass. Fake skills and all."

Dex looked angry for a second and then smiled, patting Phil on the shoulder, "I like this guy. He's funny."

With that, he turned back to the bar and Phil took a deep breath.

"I am so sorry," Jordan said.

Phil shrugged, "It's okay. Don't worry about it."

* * *

Jordan watched Phil out of the corner of her eye, half listening to two of the shows interns tell Dex that he was sure to be a hall of famer. They were actually right, he had his flaws but none of them involved his play on the field. Phil was talking to Matt who was speaking rather dramatically with his hands. She laughed, shaking her head at her friend. He had been talking Phil's ear off for 40 minutes.

"What are you looking at?"

Jordan shrugged, turning her attention back to Dex, "Nothing."

Dex looked over at Phil and Matt and then down at her, giving her a look.

"What?" she asked.

"You've been looking at Tommy Lee over there all night," Dex said.

"Tommy Lee, Dex?" Jordan raised a brow.

"White boy, covered in tattoos, don't act like it's a stretch," Dexter shrugged. "Anyway, what's the deal?"

"There is no deal," Jordan insisted, surprised that he had even noticed.

"If you say so," he said, putting a hand on her back. "Just remember who you come home to."

Jordan bit back a retort about how they were both living in her home at the moment. Then, she felt his hand slide down her back and grab her ass, hard. She looked up at him and saw that his eyes were on Phil who was looking right back at him.

Jordan took Dex's wrist in her hand and guided his hand back up. The interns returned with drinks in hand. They started in sucking up to Dex again and Jordan was about to tune out when she felt a hand on her arm.

She turned, smiling when she saw Phil, "Hey."

"Hey," he smiled back. He looked at Dex, "You mind if I borrow her for a second man?"

Dex frowned but shrugged, taking a step away, "Just for a second."

* * *

Phil held the door open for Jordan, looking over his shoulder, seeing Dex was focused on his conversation with those two brown nosing interns. Jordan walked out in front of him and he let the door close, enjoying the view.

"So, you enjoying the party?" She asked as he caught up to her.

"Yeah," he nodded. He was having a good time. Her friends all seemed cool and Colt was hitting on one of her coworkers. "Seems like you're having a _great_ time with Dex."

She smirked over at him as they turned the corner, "Don't be jealous."

She leaned against the brick side of the bar. He stepped in front of her, feeling a magnetic pull toward her. He put his hand in her side, rubbing his thumb along the spot where he knew her headphone tattoo was.

"I can't help it," he moved even closer to her. "I want to be the one with my hands all over you."

In the heels she was wearing, they were the same height. They were nose to nose and all he had to do was move forward, less than an inch to kiss her. He knew she wanted him to. He could feel it. She was holding her breath.

"Maybe we should go back inside," she said, her eyes focused on his mouth.

He caught her lips with his before she could say anything else. He pulled her close against him and felt her hand on the side of his neck as the kiss grew deeper. His hand on her back scraped the brick wall when he pushed her against it. He ignored the momentary pain, focusing on her. Her lips were amazing.

"Wait a minute," she spoke against his lips, her hands on his chest. He kissed her again and she gave in for a few seconds before pulling away, "We agreed that nothing would happen while I have a boyfriend."

"That was before I realized what an asshole your boyfriend is," Phil breathed, bracing his hand against the wall behind her. He knew she was right though. He wasn't the type of person to sleep with another man's girlfriend; no matter how badly he wanted to.

"Babe!"

Jordan jumped and Phil stepped away from her when they heard Dexter's booming voice.

"I'll be right there!" she said, fixing her hair. She gave Phil an apologetic look and he shrugged, gesturing for her to go first. She went around the corner and Phil sighed, leaning against the wall.

* * *

_1 Hour Later…_

Dexter watched as Jordan downed a shot with Matt and her friend Jane. It always took a lot to get her tipsy but she was well on her way and he was hoping she'd be in a good mood when they got back to her apartment. He couldn't even remember the last time they had sex and he was getting really antsy. He was a star athlete and millionaire with a drop dead gorgeous girlfriend and no sex life. It didn't make any damn sense.

Jordan walked over to the table where Dex and Jason sat. She smiled, handing her phone to Jason, "Hold this. I'll be back. I think Jane's gonna puke."

"That's lovely," Jason patted the top of her head before she walked away with Jane leaning on her. After 2 minutes the phone had gone off about 10 times and Jason rolled his eyes, "This thing is blowing up."

"Here, I'll hold it," Dex held out his hand.

Jason gave him a suspicious look and Dex rolled his eyes, taking the phone. Jason was Jordan's closest friend and that was the only thing that had kept Dex from punching him in the face more than a few times. He couldn't stand the guy and the feeling was obviously mutual. Jason got up and walked over to the bar. When he knew the other man wasn't looking, he unlocked the screen. She had 21 unread text messages. Dex scrolled through, seeing that most of them were from friends, apologizing for not being able to make it to the party and congratulating her on the SI article. He frowned when he saw the name on the most recent message: Punk.

Phil had left about a half hour earlier and Dex couldn't have been happier about it. He was getting sick of dealing with some skinny little wannabe Hulk Hogan staring at his girlfriend all night. He opened the text without a second thought.

_You're more than welcome to come by after your party. 1712 W. Beach #3_

Dex's jaw clenched and he put the phone down on the table, glaring at it. He heard Jordan's voice and looked up to see her coming out of the bathroom with Jane. He picked the phone back up and quickly deleted the message from Phil.

* * *

Phil was falling asleep on his couch when he heard a light knock on the door. He smiled, a little surprised. He hadn't actually expected Jordan to come. He wasn't even sure why he told her to except that he didn't want to wait to see her again. He wasn't expecting anything from her he just wanted to spend more time with her. He opened the door and felt himself tense when he was greeted by the sight of a smiling Dexter Howard.

"Hey there Tommy Lee," Dex smiled, brushing past him and walking inside. "Long time no see."

"Tommy Lee," he smirked. "That's a new one."

Dexter smiled and Phil noticed that he looked exactly like the guy who played Eggs on True Blood. He would never forgive Beth for making him sit through the entire first 2 seasons of that show on DVD.

"Is there something I can help you with?" Phil asked.

"Yes actually," Dex answered. "You and I need to have a little talk and, before it starts, I wanna tell you that there's no reason to be embarrassed. This isn't the first time I've had to do this."

Phil raised an eyebrow, "I literally cant wait."

Dex didn't look amused. He plopped down on the couch, putting his feet up on the brick coffee table a friend had made for him, "I saw your text to Jordan tonight."

Phil was surprised he only said tonight. There were plenty more incriminating text messages than him sending her his address. Apparently he hadn't looked at those.

"So I bet you figured she would come running over here, right?" Dexter asked.

Phil leaned against the wall near the TV, arms crossed over his chest, "I didn't think she would run, no."

"Look, I get it," Dex said. "Jordan is hot. And she's friendly and she likes to touch people when she talks. Lots of guys that she interviews have come out of it thinking they had a shot but..come on. Let's be realistic. Look at me, look at you. You're nowhere near her type."

Phil smirked, glad Dex couldn't read minds. He apparently had no idea what Jordan's type was, "You sure about that?"

"Oh I'm positive," Dexter got up. "So make sure you're listening closely to what I say next: Jordan is taken. And she's got enough friends. She won't be needing to talk to you anymore."

"Don't you think we should let her decide that?" Phil asked, annoyed. He didn't like being threatened and he didn't like this guy talking about his friend like she was a piece of property.

"She's at home right now, waiting for me," Dexter smiled. "I think she's already decided, don't you?"

Phil didn't respond and Dex patted him on the shoulder, "You have a good night buddy."

Dexter left, closing the door quietly behind him and Phil walked over to his couch, plopping down and staring at the TV. Dexter was a jerk and obviously a horrible boyfriend but he wasn't wrong. Jordan was still with him and she'd never given Phil any reason to believe she was going to change that. As much as he hated to let that cocky asshole think he'd won, maybe he needed to stay away from her for a while.

* * *

**I know that wasn't the most exciting chapter ever but there's big things in the works that get moving in chapter 4. I've decided to start giving a bit of a preview (albeit a bit vague) for the next chapter at the end of each one so here goes**

**_A little preview for chapter 4..._**

**_-Phil tries his best to stay away from Jordan_**

**_-Jason goes behind Jordan's back_**

**_-Jordan gets a confusing phone call_**


	4. Chapter 4

**Lots of story alerts from the last chapter. Thanks for the support! As always, I only own the original characters (Jordan, Dex, Jason, etc.) Hope you like it!  
**

**Chapter 4…**

Jordan looked down at her phone, tapping her fingertips on the desk. She kept telling herself to turn the damn thing off but she couldn't. She never turned her phone off for more than a few minutes at a time; she was always scared of missing some emergency that would more than likely never happen. So now she was stuck, waiting for a call or text message that probably wasn't coming either. Phil hadn't texted or called her since the night of the party. It was really starting to get to her. She'd sent him a few texts and normally he responded within a few minutes. So far: nothing.

"What's up with you?"

She looked up at Matt, who was getting their microphones set up before they recorded their wrestling podcast.

"Me? Nothing, why?" she asked.

"Oh I don't know," Matt shrugged. "Maybe because you've been having a staring contest with your phone."

She loved Matt but sometimes she hated how observant he was, "I'm just waiting for a call about a potential interview for the show."

"Jon Jones?"

Jordan smiled. Matt was observant but he was also easily distracted and fooled. She had been talking with an agent for UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon 'Bones' Jones for about a week so saying she was waiting for his call was technically true.

"Yeah, I'm hoping we can get him on next week," she answered. "Just waiting for confirmation."

"Nice work Wyatt," he smiled, patting her hard on the back.

"Stop that," she slapped at his hand.

"I'm just about done here, you ready to get started?" he said, checking something on his computer.

She looked over at her phone again. Taking a deep breath, she turned it off, vowing not to touch it until the podcast was done.

"Yeah," she looked over at Matt. "Let's do this."

* * *

Phil looked down at his phone, seeing the light blinking to alert him of new text messages. He picked it up, opening his newest message and confirming dinner plans with Daniel. He was in town for a signing and wanted to go to some vegan place he'd heard about. He always sent a text to confirm plans like a receptionist at a doctor's office or something. It was one of many quirks. He looked through and saw his last text from Jordan. He'd been unbelievably tempted to talk to her but he wasn't really sure how to deal with her at this point. She hadn't mentioned Dex showing up at his door so either she didn't know or she was hoping to avoid discussing it. Either way, their situation was just more drama than he had room for in his life. He knew not talking to her probably wasn't the nicest course of action but until he came up with a better one, it would have to do.

* * *

Jordan hefted her laptop bag further up on her shoulder when she reached her building. She pulled her keys out of the zippered pouch, jumping when she heard her text tone. She quickly pulled the phone out of her pocket, dropping the keys and nearly the phone. She looked around hoping no one had seen her frantic moment and then picked up her phone, reminding herself that she was cooler than this. She calmly unlocked her screen and rolled her eyes when she saw that it was a text from Dex.

_The deal is almost done baby, get ready to celebrate  
_

She rolled her eyes again, even more dramatically though no one could see her. She dropped her keys back into her bag and turned away from her door, walking toward the stop for the Halsted bus. She wasn't ready to deal with that just yet.

* * *

Jason wasn't the slightest bit surprised when he heard his intercom buzz. He walked over, pressing the button for the door without asking who it was. He unlocked his door and then walked into the kitchen pulling two bottles of Summer Shandy out of the refrigerator. It was Jordan's favorite beer and he always kept a few cases at his house during the summer when it was available. He heard the door open and shut just as he was tossing out the bottle caps. He walked into the living room and shook his head, "You are _laughably_ predictable, you know that?"

Jordan made a face at him, accepting the beer he offered and plopping down on the couch, kicking off her shoes.

He sat next to her, "I saw your tweet."

About a half hour earlier Jordan had tweeted the details of Dex's prospective deal under the show's twitter handle. He knew a visit from his friend couldn't be far behind.

"What do I do Jay?" She asked, looking up at the ceiling. "I don't know if I can handle that much Dex."

"Break up with him," Jason shrugged.

She sighed, "It's not that easy."

"Sure it is, give me your phone. I'll show you right now."

He took her phone out of her hand and she quickly snatched it back, "Dumping by text? Do I look like a Jonas brother?"

He laughed, "I'm just saying it _would_ be easy. You tweet for the show all the time; I bet you could even do it in less than 140 characters."

"Can we talk about something else please? Don't you have any lady trouble you need help with?" she asked, turning to face him, folding her legs underneath her.

"Help from you?" he laughed. "_Hell_ no."

She smacked him on the arm, "You know I give good advice."

"I know you do," he admitted. "I just don't need it right now, things are good with me. You're the one with the problems."

She downed some of her beer and then set the bottle down on the table, "I know that Dex sucks as a boyfriend but…I don't know. I just feel.._responsible_ for him. I help him stay out of trouble. It's not even really a relationship anymore. It's like having a big baby."

"Jo, you know I love you like family," Jason looked over at her.

She nodded, looking suspicious, "I also know when you tell me that you're about to say something shitty."

He put his hands on her shoulders, looking her directly in the eye, "You're being an idiot."

Her mouth dropped open and he shook his head, speaking before she could protest, "You are one of the few people I know that I genuinely feel is smarter than me. But when it comes to this, you're being stupid. And I think the problem is the fact that your only real relationship has been with Double D."

She laughed at the name he'd used for Dex for years. Double D = Dumbass Dexter.

"He has not been my only real relationship," she argued.

"Any other relationship you've had has been in between breakups and makeups with him."

She started to say something but closed her mouth, shaking her head, "You're right."

"Dex is a grown man," Jason reminded her. "He can take care of himself. And he's a damn NFL player, when he gets into trouble there are people who get paid a lot of money to get him out of it. It's not your job. _He's_ not your job."

"I know but-"

"No buts Jo," he insisted. "Look I know we've had this talk before but I don't think you've really _heard_ me. What would you do if the situation was reversed? If I was with someone who didn't appreciate me?"

"I wouldn't let that happen," she answered quickly.

She wasn't lying. Jordan had been known to scare away any woman she didn't approve of for him.

"So what do you expect me to do?" he asked. "Dex has been around too long, I can't scare him away. All I can do is try to talk some sense into you."

She sighed deeply, resting her head on the couch, "I understand what you're saying. I know you're right."

"Okay," he said. "So what are you gonna do about it?"

She shrugged, "I'll figure it out. I just need a little time."

Her phone chimed and he noticed her eyes dart to it right away. From where he was sitting, Jason could see the name on the screen: Jane. She sunk further into the couch.

"So I see we haven't talked to Punk yet," he said.

"You are correct sir," she laughed sheepishly, nudging the phone away with her foot.

Jason smiled, shaking his head. He couldn't help but be a little amused. Jordan had been by his side during just about every crush he'd had since he was in high school and she'd always made fun of him. She was used to men expressing their interest in her. Dex had pursued her relentlessly until she agreed to go out with him. Any guy she'd dated during the breaks with Dex had chased after her in similar fashion. It was fun to watch her be the one to squirm a little.

"I don't get it," she shook her head. "We went from talking almost every day to complete and total radio silence."

"You like him," Jason smirked. "This is cute."

"Is this you trying to help?" she glared. "Because that is not helpful."

"You don't have any idea why he stopped talking to you?" Jason asked.

She shrugged, "It's not like we had a fight or anything. And he knew all about Dex before he met him so it's not like that came as a surprise. Maybe meeting him was just too much."

"Maybe he realized you're just not that cool," Jason teased.

She rolled her eyes, picking up her beer and downing almost half of it, "I give up. If he wants to talk, he'll try."

"Maybe you should just swear off men for a while, like you're in a Lifetime movie," Jason suggested. "Be all empowered in your single status and what not."

"That's not how lifetime movies work anymore," she laughed. "They're not nearly as empowering as you'd think. I'm gonna get another beer, you need one?"

Jason shook his head and she walked out of the room. When she was around the corner, he picked up her phone, looking for a number. Jordan needed a push in the right direction and he had an idea for how to get it.

* * *

"I think this guy may be the worst waiter ever."

Phil nodded, looking toward the front door of the restaurant. Bryan had been complaining about their waiter since they got there. Phil wasn't all that effected by the guy. He seemed pretty lazy but it wasn't a big deal. He had brought all the right food and drinks.

"You are not listening to me," Bryan said. He wasn't annoyed at all; he said it in the matter of fact way that he said most things. "Are you alright? You seem distracted."

"I'm fine," Phil shrugged. "Just tired."

Bryan looked incredulous, "You never sleep, you're always tired. You do your best work functioning on fumes."

Phil laughed, "I guess I do sometimes."

"What's going on with that Jordan girl?" Bryan asked. "You haven't been typing away on your phone since I got here."

Phil frowned, "I didn't even tell you Jordan was a girl."

"If Jordan was a guy you wouldn't have been so cagey about it," Bryan smiled. "Come on. You seem like you need to talk. Is it about her?"

Phil shrugged, a trusted friend's opinion couldn't hurt, "It's kind of a weird situation."

As they waited for their waiter, Phil explained everything to his friend and Bryan listened quietly, nodding and drinking his bottle of water.

"So.." Phil sighed. "What do you think?"

"I think you need to forget about her," Bryan answered quickly.

Phil was surprised by his succinct answer, "That's it?"

Bryan nodded enthusiastically, "Buddy, I'm sure she's a nice girl but..it sounds to me like she's courting disaster. You've already got an ex that hates your very existence. Do you need more woman trouble?"

"No," Phil laughed shaking his head. "I'm not sure I could handle any more."

Bryan shrugged, "Then if she's not worth the trouble…don't worry about it."

* * *

Jordan walked into her apartment, setting her laptop bag down near the front door. Dex had texted her to say he was going out and she was thrilled to have the place to herself. She was barely inside the door when her phone started ringing. She would have ignored it but it was the ring tone she had assigned to her agent, Marshall Arends.

"Hello?" she answered.

"Jordan, I don't have a lot of time," he said quickly.

"You never do," Jordan laughed. He seemed to start every phone call the same way. "What's up?"

"Sports Illustrated wants to do a follow up with you," he explained. "Apparently, your article sparked a healthy debate on their website. They want to do an interview with you and post it on the website."

Jordan smiled so wide she worried her face would get stuck, "That's great."

"It is," Marshall agreed. "They're gonna do it tomorrow. I'll email you the time and location. Be proud of yourself. You did a great job with this."

"Thanks Marshall," she beamed.

"God I wish that ESPN interview had come _now_," Marshall pined. "Jordan, I don't know when we're gonna get that opportunity again. Not after how bad it went."

Jordan sighed, sitting down on the couch, "I know. I know."

"Alright, I've gotta go. I'm getting out of the car. I'm emailing you the details for your interview in 2 minutes."

"Thanks Marshall," Jordan said, crestfallen.

"You're welcome."

Jordan couldn't count how many times Marshall reminded her of that damn ESPN interview. Her career was going so well but she was always going to have that looming over her head. It was far and away her worst professional moment. She had a chance at national television exposure, her dream job, and she screwed it up. She tried to shake the thoughts away and picked up the remote. She was about to turn the TV on when she heard a noise coming from the second bedroom and her heart skipped a beat. She knew Dexter was out. He'd sent her a picture of himself at the club, making a sad face, in an attempt to convince her to come out with him.

She tip toed over to the fireplace and grabbed one of the random tools she never used, and then crept over toward the hallway. She reached the bedroom and found the door ajar. It was normally closed since she didn't really use it. She used the poker to push open the door and was ready to swing for the fences. Before she could, she heard a strangely familiar sound, very similar to a wood chipper. She looked down at the queen size bed, seeing a pair of gigantic feet clad in Air Jordans hanging over the foot of the bed. She lowered her weapon.

"Wesley!" she yelled, dropping the fireplace tool on the floor. She crossed her arms over her chest, glaring angrily as he shot up to a sitting position. He looked around, obviously confused, relaxing when he saw her. He stood up, all 6'7" 270lbs of her younger brother, and smiled sleepily at her.

"Jojo," Wesley beamed, wrapping his arms around her and lifting her up.

"Wes!" she yelped when he squeezed her so hard she thought her ribs might crack.

"Sorry," he laughed, putting her down. "How's my big sister?"

"Fine now that I know you're not a _burglar_ I have to murder," she smiled, hugging him tightly. Jordan's brother Wesley was probably the only person in the world that she was closer to than Jason. He was a year younger than her and as kids they were attached at the hip. He was in his third year as a defensive end for the New York Jets so he was away for a large portion of the year. He never told her when he was coming to visit. He would always just show up and she was always thrilled to see him.

"How are you?" she asked excitedly.

"Not too bad. I just got here about 20 minutes ago. I was gonna wait up for you but.."

"But you decided to take a nap instead?" she laughed.

He nodded, "It was a long flight. That's beside the point. I only have a few days but I want to spend as much time as I can with my little Jojo."

Wes mussed her hair roughly and Jordan slapped it away, "God I hate being called that."

"You love it," he laughed. "Now I am hungry. You wanna go get something to eat?"

"With you? Of course," she smiled. "The cleaning lady the building uses is coming this evening. I don't want to be in her way anyway."

"Perfect," Wesley smiled. "Let's go."

* * *

Phil paced back and forth outside Jordan's door, wondering why the hell he was standing there in the first place. He should have listened to Bryan and just stayed away. But part of what Bryan said stuck in his head. He said if she wasn't worth the trouble to let it go. He hadn't known Jordan his entire life or anything but he felt like he knew her well. And he didn't believe that she would ignore what Dex did if she knew about it. She couldn't have known but she needed to. He wanted to talk to her, tell her what was going on and after ignoring her for this long, he figured returning her last text out of the blue probably wasn't going to cut it.

He stopped pacing and gave himself a quick mental slap before knocking lightly on the door. He could hear someone moving around but no one opened the door.

He knocked again, "Jordan, it's Phil."

The shuffling sound continued but still no answer. Obviously, Dex wasn't there. There was no way he would turn down the opportunity to remind Phil that Jordan was his girlfriend. She was there and pretending not to be. That wasn't a good sign.

"Look, Jordan, I just wanted to…I wanted to apologize," Phil said, speaking closely to the door. "I haven't been talking to you and I owe you an explanation…The night of your party, I texted you and told you to come over. Dex showed up at my door and gave me some stupid macho bullshit speech about how you were his and I need to back off. Don't get me wrong, I'm not afraid of Dex but…I just didn't want to deal with the drama so I just stopped talking. I'm sorry about that, I really am. I should have talked to you first…But I'm here now. I keep thinking about you and I'm not really sure what the hell that means but…I wanted to tell you."

The shuffling stopped.

"It would be a lot easier if you open the door," he smiled.

The door opened and Phil found himself face to face with an elderly woman in a uniform that looked like a cleaning company.

She smiled, speaking in a British accent, "Hello dear. Ms. Wyatt is out with her brother at the moment. I'll be happy to leave her a note and say you stopped by."

Embarrassment wasn't a feeling that came to him often but he was feeling it in full force at that moment, "That's uh…that's okay. I'll just call her later. Thank you."

* * *

**No preview this time folks. Instead, I'll just post the next chapter!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Part 2 of the double update. I know these chapters are a little short but they sort of had to be. I'm already working on the next update. Until then, hope you enjoy this one.  
**

**Chapter 5…**

_The Next Morning…_

Jordan glared at her phone, willing the sound of her ringtone to stop. She loved the Macho Man dearly, rest his soul, but the sound of Pomp and Circumstance at 8:00 in the morning when she still had alcohol in her stomach from the night before was completely and totally unwelcome. She and Wesley had stumbled back into her apartment at 3 after meeting up with some friends and hitting 3 different bars after dinner. The song started up again and she slapped her hand on top of it, accidentally answering the call. She held the phone to her ear, "Hello?"

"Jordan?"

"Yes," she answered.

"It's Marshall."

"That wasn't your ring tone," Jordan frowned, rolling onto her back, covering her eyes with her forearm.

"I have a new office phone number," he explained. "I'll email it to you."

"Why are you calling so early?" she asked. "The SI interview isn't until this afternoon."

"I know, I'm not calling about that," Marshall said. "I'm calling to let you know we've gotta set up a job interview."

"A what? What are you talking about?" she asked.

"That thing Jason called me about," Marshall said. "I sent in your info. They got back to me right away. They're very excited. I think this could be good."

"Wait.._what_?" Jordan shook her head, thoroughly confused. "What _thing_?"

"Listen, Jordan, I've gotta call you back, I'm getting a call on my cell," Marshall said. "I'll talk to you after the SI interview. Break a leg."

Jordan wanted to protest but Marshall was gone before the words made it to her mouth. She had no earthly idea what Marshall was talking about. Why would Jason be calling her agent about her? Especially for a job, he knew better than anyone how much she loved the job she had. And why wouldn't he just tell her about it?

She gave up on going back to sleep and had thumb poised to call Jason when Pomp and Circumstance returned. To her shock, she found herself looking at a picture Phil had sent her of himself flipping off a Cardinals jersey in a sporting goods store in St. Louis.

She answered, stifling a yawn, "Hello?"

"Hey," she heard Phil's voice and smiled instinctively. She forced the smile away. Reminding herself that he'd gone completely incommunicado on her.

"Hi," she said. "Long time no talk."

"I know," he said. "You won't believe what happened to me yesterday."

"What was that?" she asked, wondering if he was really planning on talking to her as if he hadn't been ignoring her.

"Well, there's this girl that I know and I haven't exactly treated her in the best way the last couple weeks…So I showed up at her doorstep but she didn't answer when I knocked. I heard someone inside and thought she was there. So…I proceeded to talk to her through the door. I told her how sorry I am and that I can't stop thinking about her."

Jordan felt her smile return as he continued.

"Then, the door opens and instead of the woman I came to see, I get Helen Mirren in a maid's uniform, accent and all," Phil laughed.

"I bet Mrs. Davis liked it," Jordan smiled. "You're _totally_ her type."

"I'm sorry I've been ignoring you," he said. "I'd like to talk. You wanna have breakfast?"

"I can't today," she smiled. "But I'm free tomorrow morning if you are."

The next day was a Sunday though. She doubted he would still be in town.

He thought about it for a few seconds before saying, "I'll make time."

* * *

_Sunday…_

Phil sat back in his chair, looking out at Southport Avenue, wondering how many fluffy white dogs there were in this neighborhood. He'd been sitting out in front of Blue Bayou for 10 minutes and had either seen 10 different ones, or the same 5 twice. Either way, that seemed like a lot. He figured Jordan should be arriving soon. In the future, he would have to remember to take Jason's advice and lie to Jordan about what time he wanted her to be somewhere. She really was perpetually late. Fortunately for her, her company made up for it. He couldn't stay too long though, he had a flight to catch.

He spotted her walking toward him, phone pressed to her ear. She smiled, waving when she saw him. As usual, she looked fantastic in a short green sundress and a pair of blue high top Chuck Taylors. Her hair was loosely French braided and draped over her shoulder. She ended her phone call as she approached the table.

"Hey," she smiled.

"Hi," he waved. "This table okay?"

"Yeah, of course," she sat across from him. "I love eating outside as long as it's not muggy. Sorry I'm late."

"You're not that bad," he shrugged. "I've only been here for a few minutes."

She nodded, "So…you said you wanted to talk. Did you ask me here so you could get Mrs. Davis's phone number? I told her you thought she looked like Helen Mirren and she was quite flattered."

He laughed, "She seemed like a lovely woman but no. I wanted to explain why we haven't been talking."

She nodded again, waiting for him to continue.

"The night of your party, I texted you my address," he explained. "I knew Dex was driving you crazy, I figured you might wanna come hang out for a while. An hour later, Dex shows up at my door."

Her brown eyes widened but she didn't interrupt.

"He said that you were taken and that you had enough friends and didn't need to talk to me anymore," Phil continued.

"What?" she stared. She shook her head, looking extremely embarrassed. "I am so sorry."

"I didn't stop talking to you because he told me to," Phil assured her. "But after that I just wanted to stay away from the drama, you know? I don't deal with that stuff well."

"Why didn't you tell me?" she asked.

"I figured you knew," Phil shrugged. "I sent the text to _your_ phone. And Dex said this wasn't the first time he's done it."

"_What_?" she stared. "No one's ever told _me_ about it."

"Look, I thought about it and I realized you couldn't have known," he said. "I don't exactly get _why_ you're with Dex but I know you don't encourage him to act like an asshole. I thought you should know what he was doing."

She looked out toward the street, her shoulders tense, "I'm really sorry he did that. I had _no_ idea. I couldn't figure out why you stopped talking to me."

He felt guilty for waiting so long to tell her, "I should have said something before I just..I wasn't really sure how to handle it."

"I can't blame you," she shrugged. "I'm really, really sorry. He's such an idiot sometimes."

"Seems like it," he nodded. "What are you gonna do?"

She gave him a wry smile, "I feel like I've been asked that question a lot lately."

He smiled back at her, "It probably has something to do with the fact that you need to dump your boyfriend."

Her phone started ringing and Phil laughed when he heard Pomp and Circumstance, "Do you have to be so awesome?"

She shrugged, laughing, "Sorry, I have to take this really quick. It's my agent; it should only take a minute."

She got up from the table and he watched as she walked out of the eating area. Her face went through a wide range of emotions in a short period of time. First she looked very confused, then surprised, then she looked a little excited, then she started to look annoyed. She ended the phone call and then walked over, pasting on a forced smile.

"Everything okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, yeah, everything's fine," she nodded.

"You sure?" he asked, skeptical.

"Yeah I'm just tired. We were on a weird schedule, doing the morning show all week. I'm just thrown off," she insisted. "You ready to eat?"

* * *

Jason looked up from the sound board when he heard the sound of heels coming down the hall toward his office. There weren't too many people in the offices on the weekends especially on a Sunday. The few people working were usually in the studios working on the weekend shows. He had come in to work on some drops for the show the following week. He would usually just work on his home computer but his neighbors were in the middle of a divorce and it was nice to get away from their nonsense.

The door to his office opened and he was surprised to see Jordan walk in looking hostile. She didn't get mad very often but when she did, it was not pleasant.

"What's up Jo?" he smiled, hoping her ire wasn't directed at him.

She sat on the edge of his desk, tossing her phone at him. He looked down at the screen, seeing an email that was forwarded to her from her agent, Marshall Arends.

He read it out loud,

"_Mr. Arends,_

_I have reviewed the material you sent and I am very impressed. We would love to sit down with your client and discuss programming opportunities. Would you like to facilitate this or shall I contact her directly?_

_Sincerely,_

_Arden Crosby._

_Development Producer_

_WWE Network/WWE Studios_."

He looked up at her, smiling, "Holy shit."

"Yes Jason, holy shit," she repeated. "And also..what the fuck?"

This was not the reaction he'd expected.

"_I_ did not ask Marshall to submit me for this. He says _you_ did," she pointed.

Jason put his hands up defensively, "I was gonna tell you."

"Oh?" she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Yes but I didn't think they would get back to Marshall so fast," he explained. He had every intention of telling her sometime that weekend. How was he supposed to know someone would contact Marshall so quickly?

"Why didn't you talk to me first?" she asked.

"Because I knew you wouldn't do it," Jason shrugged. "Jordan, after the ESPN thing you shut down for a little while and we both know it. You got back into the swing of the show and obviously your writing but you haven't done a TV appearance in forever. You used to do them all the time."

"So?" she stared.

"So I think you're scared," Jason said. "And you shouldn't be. You're good. There's a reason you got that interview in the first place. You seem to forget that."

She rolled her eyes.

"Jordan you would be _perfect_," Jason insisted. "I read this article that they're looking for hosts for the new network they're starting up. You and Matt's podcast has a huge following. You _love_ wrestling. You're like a sports entertainment encyclopedia. Where is the problem?"

"The problem is that you didn't talk to me first," Jordan said. "_And_ I don't even know if I would _want_ to do this. _And_ there's the fact that I _just_ got things straightened out with Phil. How am I supposed to tell him about this? He's gonna think I'm a crazy stalker! I-"

"Jordan!" Jason yelled, frustrated. "It doesn't matter what he thinks! This isn't about _him_. It's not about _Dex_. This is about _you_. If you stopped thinking about how everything will affect the men in your life for a minute, you'd realize that this is a great opportunity for you. And you'd be excited about it!"

She was obviously surprised that he'd yelled at her. He was too. She was just being so frustrating.

"Think about this for a second," he said more quietly. "I called Marshall about this on Friday. He's prompt so let's assume he sent your stuff right away. It was still after business hours which means it wouldn't have been received until Saturday. It's Sunday. It took _one day_ for them to get back to you."

* * *

"Wow," Jordan took a moment to let Jason's words sink in. She had just assumed that Jason had gone behind her back weeks earlier. She had been so confused when she talked to Marshall; she hadn't asked him _when_ Jason called him. "That's insane."

"That's a good sign," Jason smiled. "Come on, Jo. You know you're at least a little bit curious. One interview. You don't like it, you don't do it."

Jordan looked out the window, taking a deep breath. Jason had a point. Now that she was beginning to calm down, she was a little bit curious.

"Think about it this way, Todd Grisham and The Coach both went from the WWE to ESPN," Jason reminded her.

"Okay, stop trying to talk me into it," she said. "I'll talk to Marshall about it. I'm not promising anything more though."

"Yeah?" Jason smiled.

She couldn't help but smile back. Her friend's excitement was infectious. She had to be realistic about it though. She had no idea what the hell she was going into and it was highly likely that nothing would come of it.

"Yeah," she said. "But you can't tell _anyone_ about this. Not Matt, not anyone. Not a word until the interview is over. _If_ I even do it. Got it?"

Jason nodded, "Got it."

* * *

**A/N: I just want to make a quick point to anyone who may be concerned. Jordan will not at any point in this story become a WWE Diva. Gotta make that clear, I've gotten concerned PMs.**

**Preview for Chapter 6...  
**

**-Phil and Wesley meet under strange circumstances.  
**

**-Jordan makes an important decision about Dex.  
**

**-Beth asks Bryan for information about Phil  
**


	6. Chapter 6

**Been super busy lately, hence the delay in posting but...I've got another double update for you so hopefully that makes up for it! Not a ton of Punk and Jordan in these chapters but trust me, you'll see plenty of them together later. As always, I only own my original characters (Jordan, Dex, Wes, Arden, Jason, Matt, etc.). Hope you enjoy!  
**

**Chapter 6…  
**  
_Tuesday…  
_

"We'll be back same time next week kids. Until then, we wish you the best in all of your future endeavors," Matt said, ending the podcast.

Colt laughed as they took off their headphones, "That was fun."

Jordan called him a few days earlier and asked if he would be willing to join her and Matt on their podcast. He gladly accepted having listened a few times. They had a good show. For this one, they were doing a mock draft of past and present wrestlers, regardless of organization. It was a great time except for the fact that Jordan picked before him and almost always took whoever was at the top of his list.

"Told you it would be," Jordan smiled, shutting down her laptop. "Does that mean you'll come back?"

"Anytime you invite me. And you've gotta come on my show sometime," Colt smiled.

"Little ol' me?" she smirked. "I suppose I could find time in my schedule."

"You know, I can see why he likes you so much."

Jordan was one of the only people he knew that was as snarky as Phil usually was.

"Who?" she asked, zipping up her bag. She seemed to realize the answer to her own question before he could tell her and she smiled, "How much does he like me?"

"Oh no lady," he pointed at her. "I don't think so. That's between you two."

"You brought it up," she shrugged. "I was just asking the next logical question."

"And I'm just not answering it," he smirked. "You're gonna have to use some real super sleuthy journalistic tricks to get anything out of me."

"I could do that," she said, tapping her chin and looking up. She smiled, "Or I could just get you liquored up. I bet that would work."

"That's an idea that has promise," he laughed.

She laughed, "Fair enough."

"So I haven't read your bio, how do you know so much about the business?" he asked. "You weren't even alive when some of the guys you picked were in their heyday."

"Neither were you," she smirked. "But to answer your question, I've watched since I was about 5. I've always found it really interesting and when I find things interesting, I make it a point to learn as much as I can. Past, present, everything. It's the same with all sports. It doesn't hurt that I have a crazy good memory."

"How is it that you're not on TV?" he asked. "You'd be great."

"I do TV appearances sometimes," Jordan shrugged.

"I mean on a regular basis," Colt said. "Isn't McMahon looking for people for his new TV station?"

She opened her mouth but then shut it quickly. She shrugged, "I don't know. I hadn't really thought about it."

"I'm starving," Matt said, packing away his headphones. "You guys wanna grab some food?"

"I'm in," Jordan shrugged.

Colt shrugged, "Sure, why not?"

* * *

Robert Miller, director of programming for the WWE network sat in his office, staring up at his collection of signed baseballs trying, but failing, to focus on what his colleague Nate was saying to him. Nate Anderson, Head of Program Development, was an extremely anxious man who seemed constantly convinced that there was a crisis afoot. Nate had requested a meeting that morning to discuss the current state of network programming. They were set for a September launch but it was already June and they didn't have as many shows in production as they needed in order to meet their target date. He took a deep breath, leaning forward, resting his elbows on his desk, trying again to direct his attention at Nate.

"Nate, I hear what you're saying but at this point, our biggest problem is that we don't have a flagship show," Robert sighed. "We don't have anything to hang our hat on."

Nate nodded, "I know. I've been thinking about that. I've got quite a few people working on some things that I think you'll like."

"What about Arden?"

Nate didn't answer. He didn't have to. Nate had made his feelings about Arden Crosby abundantly clear. Before coming to head up the WWE network, Robert was the VP of programming for NBC Universal. Arden was an intern there and he'd taken notice of her immediately. She was shy and quiet but extremely bright and organized. When her internship was complete, Robert hired her as his executive assistant and within no time she became his right hand. The more he worked with her, the more he got to know a side of her that most people didn't. She was opinionated, creative, and passionate. One just had to take a little time to get past her awkwardness. He took her under his wing, teaching her everything he knew about their business, especially the things she couldn't learn in school. She really didn't spend any time with her own family and Robert's wife Allison just couldn't have that. They didn't have any children of their own and Allison, who'd always wanted a daughter, practically adopted Arden. Every time he turned around, they were going shopping or Allison was helping decorate the young woman's apartment. Robert didn't always want to admit it, considering how much he liked to tease his wife, but Arden was a little like a daughter to him. He was considering retirement when he got a call from his good friend Vince McMahon, asking if he would consider coming over to helm his new network. Robert had agreed to become director of programming, only if he could bring Arden on as a development producer. His terms were agreed to and they'd been working on the network for about a year. Nate had been less than pleased when he learned that Arden was going to be on his team and that only Robert could make the decision to terminate her if necessary. Robert didn't really care though. She was good and he knew that whether Nate did or not.

"_Arden_ hasn't brought me _anything_," Nate said, his naturally pinched face becoming even more so.

"She hasn't brought you anything or _you_ haven't _liked_ anything?" Robert asked.

"I told you, she hasn't brought anything. Not on her own," Nate said. "I don't even think she's working on anything right now."

That didn't sound like her at all. Robert frowned, picking up his phone and dialing the young woman's desk. She picked up quickly, "Arden Crosby."

"It's Bob," he said. "Can you come up to my office right away please?"

Nate looked annoyed and Bob gave him a warm smile. He always made a point to show Nate that his prickly personality didn't affect him.

"Is everything okay?" she asked.

"Yes, I just want to talk discuss a few things with you."

"Okay, I'll be right there," she said before hanging up.

"Do you not believe me?" Nate asked.

"I believe you," Bob shrugged. "But I know Arden. There's always something in her head whether she shares it or not. I just want to find out what she's got going on."

The door opened and Arden walked in. When she saw Nate she looked vexed. She liked him about as much as he liked her.

"Hello," she said coolly to Nate before smiling at Bob, "What did you need to talk about?"

"Nate and I were just discussing the network's lack of a flagship show," Robert explained. "Do you have any ideas?"

"I'm working on a host right now," Arden answered. "I think it's a really promising lead."

"Are you talking about the radio girl?" Nate asked. "I told you I don't like her."

"And I told you that I do," Arden said, her tone matter of fact.

"Who are you talking about?" Bob asked.

"Her name is Jordan Wyatt," Arden explained. "She's a sports radio host in Chicago. She's got this really funny wrestling podcast that has a great following and-"

"I don't think internet geek is the way Vince wants us to go," Nate interjected.

"He hired me as Programming Director to make those decisions Nate," Bob gave him a look.

"She's not an internet geek," Arden argued. "She's smart and she's funny. I don't have a show idea completely together yet but I wanna interview her first. I think it'll come together."

"You have a good feeling about this?" he asked Arden.

She nodded enthusiastically.

"Alright then," Bob said. "Let me know how the interview goes."

* * *

Arden walked back to her desk, smiling. She loved when Nate got put in his place, even in the smallest of ways. When she first came to work under Nate, she'd tried everything she could think of to impress him. She was a good worker, she was smart but he just seemed to bristle whenever she was around. He shot down most of her ideas, took some as his own, and sometimes blatantly ignored her. He was a rabid control freak and she soon realized that his problem with her was the fact that he didn't have a hand in hiring her. She'd overheard him once asking someone what she had to do to get so much loyalty from Bob. She resented the implication that she had done anything inappropriate. Bob and Allison were the closest thing to real family that she had. She never confronted Nate about it though. She didn't care if there were rumors going around about her. They weren't true so it didn't matter. What did matter was that the pressure was on her now to come up with something really good. She logged into her email, hoping for something from Jordan's agent Marshall Arends. He'd gotten back to her on Tuesday to say that Jordan would like to meet with her. Arden had explained that they would provide airfare and accommodations for Jordan to come to LA for a few days. She hadn't heard from him with a date yet. She scrolled through about 40 messages, 50% of which were useless memos from Nate. She stopped when she saw the address she was looking for. She had a new message from Marshall. He said that Jordan had some things lined up for work that she couldn't miss and he suggested that Arden come to Chicago for the interview. Arden had never been to Chicago and wasn't thrilled about the idea of being out of her comfort zone but maybe it would be best to meet Jordan in hers. She opened a new message, telling Marshall she could come to Chicago whenever Jordan was free.

* * *

Beth stirred the ice in her water around with her straw, looking around the restaurant. She was tired and her knee was killing her but it was great to be back on the road. She had missed performing. She missed going out in front of the fans. She looked toward the door and sighed when she saw him there. Phil Brooks. He was leaving with Stu. Her eyes met his and she searched them for something, some sign that he was as affected as she was. He looked away as Stu said something to him and before she knew it, they were gone. And Beth felt empty. There was a time when the sight of Phil and his lopsided grin made her feel like a giddy teenager. Now she just felt anger and frustration welling inside of her. She was angry that he could just walk around as if nothing happened. He didn't seem to have a care in the world, least of all her.

Nattie seemed to notice her expression changed and she gave her a reassuring smile, "Sorry Beth. I was hoping you wouldn't see him."

"It's unavoidable," Beth shrugged. "Remember when I thought it was the greatest thing in the world that I got to spend all of my time on the road with my boyfriend?"

"I just…" Nattie shook her head. "I just don't understand what happened."

"Which part is giving you trouble?" Beth asked. "The part where he dumped me? That part throws me every time."

"You two just seemed so happy once, you know?" her best friend shook her head, dismayed. "I just don't know how you go from that to the way you are now so quickly. That kind of drama takes people years to build up. I cant help thinking that the reason you're still so upset is because there's a part of you that still wants to be with him."

Beth tried for her best righteously indignant expression but Nattie was clearly unmoved.

She sighed, looking down at her drink and shrugging, "I'm sure there's a part of me that will always care about him. But it doesn't matter. He's the one that ended things."

"I know but…there was so much going on at that time," Nattie shrugged. "I guess I just wonder if he's feeling differently now. He hasn't dated anyone since you."

"And how do you know that?" Beth asked. She had to admit, she'd wondered who he was moving on with in her time away.

"I don't know for sure but I don't think he's dating anybody," Nattie answered. She smiled, "Why? Do you care?"

"I'm not saying I care," Beth insisted. "I'm just..curious."

* * *

Jordan frowned at her computer, rubbing her eyes. She'd been staring at the screen for so long they were starting to hurt. She was finishing up an article about the Cubs and how fans needed to understand the concept of a rebuilding year. She heard a key in the door and felt her eyes roll before she could even think about it. Sometimes she really regretted giving anyone keys to her place. Except for Mrs. Davis. She was never a bother.

The door opened and Dex walked in, carrying a suitcase. He had been in Phoenix training with Darren Sharper for a few days. She'd tried calling him after Phil told her what happened but he didn't answer. He'd sent her a text saying that he was trying to focus on his game and that they could talk when he got back.

He smiled when he saw her. She didn't get up.

"What's wrong?" he asked. "You're not happy to see me?"

"Oh sure I am," she closed her laptop, unplugging it from the charger and sliding it into her bag. She had to head to the studio in a few minutes.

He came over, trying to kiss her on the cheek, she leaned away.

"What did I do now?" he sighed.

"A few things actually," she answered. "First, you went into my phone. _Then_, you deleted one of my messages, and _worst_ of all, you went to Phil's house and gave him some stupid speech about how he needed to stay away from me. Any of that ring a bell?"

She expected him to be angry. He was one of the most defensive people she'd ever met. The second he was told he did something wrong, he would launch into an explanation of why it couldn't possibly have been his fault. To her surprise, he sighed, putting his hands in his pockets, "I'm sorry."

"Excuse me?" she stared.

"I'm sorry," he repeated. "That was wrong. I messed up. I was just..I was feeling insecure because you didn't seem all that happy about me moving here and I just..I did something stupid. I'm sorry. I'll apologize to him too if you want."

"What's your game here Dex?" she asked, suspicious. He was never immediately repentant like this.

"No game J," he shook his head. "I'm trying to turn over a new leaf. I realized that the reason you weren't excited about me coming here is that I've messed up so much. I wanna make up for that."

"I really don't have any patience left for your bullsh-"

"I know," he put his hands up. "And from now on, I'm gonna be a model boyfriend. Best behavior, all the time."

She stared at him, confused. Unfortunately, she didn't have time to stay and continue their conversation. She picked up her bag, walking past him, "I'll be back later."

* * *

Phil walked toward the elevator, unlocking his phone. As usual he was having trouble sleeping so he was headed down to the hotel gym. While he was sitting in his room, he'd listened to Jordan's show on his TunedIn radio app. He sent her a text early on, saying that she sounded exceptionally smart today. Her show was just ending so he figured he would have a text from her soon.

He laughed when he saw her response, _It's not hard to sound smart when it's just me and Matt. How's my second favorite wrestler?_

_Second favorite?_ He responded. _Who do I have to beat to become number 1?_

_Wouldn't you like to know?_

The elevator finally came and he stepped on, pressing the button for the lobby.

_I'll be home tomorrow. Maybe you can tell me then._

_I'd love to but Colt and I are having a Pizza-Off tomorrow. May keep me busy for quite some time._

He laughed, _What the hell is a pizza off? And why was I not invited?_

* * *

Beth crossed her arms over her chest, tapping her foot, anxiously waiting for the elevator. It was quite possibly the slowest running piece of machinery she'd ever seen. She had forgotten one of her bags in her rental and if she didn't really need it, she would have just turned back around and went to bed. The elevator would probably get there by morning. Just as she was about to walk to the stairs, the bell rang, signaling the elevator's arrival. The door opened and she stepped on. The doors were closing before she realized she wasn't alone. She looked over and saw Phil leaning against the wall, smiling down at his phone. He hadn't seemed to notice her yet.

She cleared her throat and he looked up, surprised.

"Hey," he said quietly.

"Hi," she returned. "Can't sleep?"

He nodded, looking down at his phone again. He laughed at whatever he was reading.

"What's so funny?" she asked.

"Just uh..just something Colt said," he shrugged.

She nodded, "Tell him I said 'Hi'."

"I will," he agreed.

They finally reached the lobby and he gestured for her to go first.

She could feel him walking behind her and she turned, "So..where are you going?"

"I figured I'd just go to the gym for a while," he shrugged. He was about to say something else but his phone started ringing.

The corner of his mouth lifted and he looked up at her, "I uh..I gotta take this. I'll see you later."

He turned away and frowned. The smile on his face, that definitely wasn't for Colt. He walked down the hall toward the gym and Beth told herself to go to her car and then back to her room. Who Phil was on the phone with was absolutely none of her business. She stood there for a full minute before her curiosity got the better of her and she walked down the hall behind them, taking great care to make as little noise as possible. She could hear him around the corner near the water fountain. She stayed against the wall, listening as he spoke.

"You guys are dorks," he laughed. "But I think you need an odd number of people to judge your pizza off….I think you know I'm not worried about that…Of course I'll be there. You wanna do something after that maybe? Just us?...Not that, get your mind out of the gutter…Yeah, we'll figure it out tomorrow. Get home safe, there's a game tonight. Bye."

Phil went into the gym and Beth frowned. Her suspicion was confirmed. He definitely wasn't talking to his best friend. Her curiosity wasn't satisfied though. She wanted to know who the hell he _was_ talking to.

* * *

_Friday…_

Jordan woke up to the strangest feeling. It was almost as if the bed was bouncing. Her eyes opened slowly and she groaned, turning over onto her back. She quickly figured out the source of that pesky bouncy feeling.

"Hey Jordan!" DJ, Dexter's beyond adorable 9 year old son was jumping on her bed. His smile, identical to Dexter's, beamed down at her.

"Hey buddy!" she smiled, looking under her blanket to make sure she was wearing something appropriate for him to see before she reached her arms out toward him. He jumped over to her and then hugged her tightly. DJ was born when Dex was 16, before Jordan met him. He and his mother Kendra lived in Charlotte, North Carolina.

"How are you? I've missed your face," she said, squeezing his cheeks and then giving him a kiss on the top of his head.

"I missed your face too," he laughed, sitting in front of her, smushing her cheeks with his hands. "I'm good."

"How's your mom?" she asked. She'd known Kendra from the time she started dating Dex and she had always been great to her. Every year on her birthday, she got a present with the card signed from Kendra and DJ. She had always encouraged DJ to get to know Jordan.

"She's good," DJ smiled. "She told me to tell you Hi."

"I'll have to send her an email and say Hi back," Jordan smiled. "So what are you doing here? Where's your Dad?"

"He's in the kitchen," the young boy explained. "We just got here. He said he was gonna make you breakfast."

"Oh hell no, your daddy's not burning down my kitchen," Jordan scrambled out of the bed, taking DJ's hand. "Come on buddy."

When he got out of the bed and started walking with her she looked down, marveling at how much he'd grown since the last time she saw him in person, "Holy _shit_ you're tall."

She winced, immediately regretting her choice of words, "Don't tell anyone I said that."

He laughed, "I won't."

They reached the kitchen just in time to see Dex pulling a carton of eggs out of the refrigerator.

"Dad, Jordan said you can't burn down the kitchen," DJ laughed.

"Jordan needs to have a little faith in your Dad's skills," Dex smiled. "Morning beautiful."

"Hi," she waved. She smiled down at DJ, "Do me a favor and go turn the TV on."

"Okay," he smiled, bounding out of the kitchen.

When he was gone she moved closer to Dexter, "What's DJ doing here?"

"I thought you'd be excited," he shrugged.

"I _am_," she said. "But you didn't tell me he was coming. I would've cleared my schedule. I've got a really busy weekend."

"It's okay J, as long as he gets to hang out with you for a little while he'll be happy."

Jordan was still annoyed that Dexter didn't give her any advance notice but she knew there was no point in telling Dex that. He wasn't going to get it.

"Why are you so busy today?" he asked. "I thought you weren't doing the show tonight."

"I'm not but that doesn't mean I'm not doing anything," she answered. "I've got some work to do this afternoon and then I have dinner plans after that."

"What dinner plans?"

She crossed her arms over her chest, deciding to test out just how much 'New Dex' had changed, "I'm going to dinner with Phil and Colt."

"Okay," he shrugged. "Listen, I gotta go pick up some stuff for DJ, games and what not. You mind if he stays here with you? You know how he is in a store."

DJ could be a bit of a menace with Dex. He was always on his best behavior with Jordan though. Kendra was pretty strict about making sure that DJ didn't become a spoiled rich kid because his father was a football player. Dex, on the other hand, thought that DJ should have whatever his heart desired no matter how lavish or impractical. If Dex took him to a store, he was likely to come back short a few thousand dollars. She nodded, "Of course he can stay with me. Just make sure you're back by noon. It's _really_ important."

Jordan didn't have to leave for her interview until 1 but she figured it would be best to give him some bumper room.

"I'll be back by noon," he said, kissing her on the cheek. "I promise."

* * *

Stu opened a bottle of water, leaning back in his chair. He was waiting, along with Bryan, Beth, and Stephanie McMahon, for the school's staff to bring in children for their Be A Star rally. Stephanie was in the corner, talking to the school principal in the corner. Beth was walking around on her phone. Bryan seemed to be reading all of the inspirational posters plastered all over the gym. When Beth was finished with her phone call, she came over to the table, standing in front of it. She smiled and for a moment, Stu felt completely disarmed. Beth had never seemed to like him very much so he couldn't imagine what she was smiling at him for.

"Hey Beth," Bryan waved.

"I have something to ask you two," Beth explained.

Stu narrowed his eyes, suspicious, "What would that be Beth?"

"Is Phil seeing anyone?" she asked.

"No," Stu answered quickly. Unfortunately, at the same time, Bryan said 'Yes'.

Stu turned to look at his friend, "Bryan..I think you're mistaken."

He smiled at Beth but she wasn't really paying attention to him anymore. She was zeroed in on Bryan. Stu couldn't imagine why she would be asking considering she seemed to hate Phil with a passion after their breakup. Regardless, Stu knew that giving Beth any information would only cause trouble. Besides, as far as he was aware, Phil didn't have anything _serious_ going on with anyone. He'd mentioned that girl in Chicago but she still had a boyfriend so she was still off limits.

"Bryan?" Beth smiled. "Is he?"

"Well, he had something going on with someone back home but..I don't think it worked out so I guess it would be no," Bryan answered. He looked over at Stu, "Do you know?"

"It did not," Stu shook his head. "I wouldn't even say they were _seeing _each other per se."

"So it was just sex?" Beth asked, her expression tense.

"I don't..I wouldn't say that," Stu shook his head. "I wouldn't call it anything really."

"You're lying," she shook her head.

Bryan shrugged and Beth's mouth narrowed into a thin line. She shook her head, "I should've known."

She turned away, yanking her phone out of her pocket.

"Beth!" Stu called after her. "Don't go off all angry. Not when we've got so many children to see."

She turned around, holding up her middle finger at him before turning away and making a phone call.

"She _really_ doesn't like you, does she?" Bryan laughed.

"What the hell was that?" Stu asked.

"What?" Bryan asked, confused. "It's not a big deal. Phil never said it was a secret."

"He didn't have to," Stu rolled his eyes. "I'll let you explain to Phil why Beth tries to take his head off next time she sees him."

* * *

Jordan hopped around on one foot, trying to put on her black patent leather spiked Christian Louboutin loafers. She had been stressing over what to wear for about an hour and she was putting the last few touches on her fourth outfit.

"Okay DJ, you can turn around," she said, putting her hands on her hips. She wore a pair of blue slacks, a black camisole with white polka dots and a loose white silk short sleeved blazer. "What do you think?"

"I don't know why you keep changing," DJ shrugged. "You _always_ look pretty."

Jordan walked over, taking his face in her hands, "Please always treat women the way you do right now."

He made a face, laughing, "You're weird Jordan."

"Thank you," she patted him on the head, walking into the bathroom to quickly work on her hair and makeup. She saw her phone blinking on the bathroom counter and silently cursed Dex. She knew he wouldn't show up right at noon but it was 12:15 and she was starting to get anxious. She unlocked the phone, ready to see what excuse he'd come up with now. She laughed when she saw that it wasn't a text from Dex, it was a picture message from Phil. It was a picture of him and Colt, both of them making goofy faces. She smiled at the message underneath: _Colt says he misses you_

She shook her head, typing back _Colt saw me a couple days ago. Are those his words or yours?_

His reply came quickly, _You'll never know. We still on for pizza?_

She confirmed their plans, telling him to stop by her house at 6. She closed her texts, knowing that she didn't have time for dilly dallying, no matter how fun it was. She tried calling Dex again and he didn't answer. She couldn't imagine what the hell would take so long but if she knew Dex it was something completely ridiculous. There was no way she could leave any later than 1 without being late but she couldn't very well leave DJ by himself. She dialed her brother's number, crossing her fingers with her free hand.

"Jojo!" Wesley answered on the second ring. "What's up?"

"I need a huge favor," Jordan cut to the chase. "DJ is here and Dex is gone and I've gotta leave for a work thing in 45 minutes. Is there any way you could just come stay with him until Dex gets back?"

"Of course, I'll come hang out with the little man," Wes said. "Where's Dex?"

"I have no idea," Jordan shook her head, looking at herself in the mirror. "At this point, I'm not sure it even matters."


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7…**

Arden tapped her fingers on the table in front of her. She always kept her nails short so instead of a tapping sound, she was making an ominous thumping noise that was not helping her nerves at all. This was the first time she was doing all of this on her own. Despite the fact that Bob had unconditional faith in her, she was a little scared. She'd always been an anxious person, ever since she was a little kid. It probably had something to do with the fact that she went to a different school almost every year. Constantly being the new kid can put one on edge. She stood up, looking at herself in the mirror. She had bought herself a new outfit, the day before, a olive green Donna Karan shirt dress and YSL Tribute patent leather sandals in merlot. Sometimes she wanted to throttle Allison Miller for sparking her love of clothes. When she was in college she wore nothing but sweats outside of her part time job at a local news station. It was a much cheaper lifestyle. She definitely still had her fair share of sweats though. She just didn't wear them outside of the house as much.

The hotel she was staying at had allowed her the use of their conference room for the afternoon for the interview. The clerk in the front seemed obsessed with the idea that she could possibly introduce him to The Rock. It didn't matter that she told him she hadn't met any wrestlers, let alone The Rock, or the fact that he didn't work for the company on any regular kind of basis. The young man was convinced that if he took good care of Arden, he and Dwayne Johnson would somehow become BFFs. She'd been in the room for about a half hour preparing and he'd already checked on her twice. She looked up at the clock, seeing that Jordan wasn't due for another 15 minutes. She nearly jumped out of her chair when the door opened. She had her hand on her chest, trying to slow her heartbeat when a young woman walked into the room. She immediately recognized Jordan from the pictures and video she'd seen of her. Jordan's brown eyes looked a little confused as she held up her hand in a hesitant wave, "Are you..Arden Crosby?"

"I am," Arden nodded, standing up.

Jordan still looked confused but she seemed to shake it off, walking in and offering a handshake, "I'm sorry you're just..not quite what I was expecting…and that probably sounds rude. I'm sorry. I'm nervous and I _never_ get nervous so I'm completely out of sorts and prone to rambling."

Arden laughed, feeling a small sense of relief at not being the only nervous one. She smiled at Jordan, "Well I'm _always_ nervous so you're in expert company. You can have a seat; I've got water and juice. If you'd like anything else we can call for it."

"Water works for me," Jordan shrugged.

Arden poured herself a glass of water and then took a sip, feeling extremely awkward. She took a deep breath and asked the first question she could think of, "So..why are you nervous?"

"Honestly?" Jordan smirked. "Until I was on my way here, I intentionally hadn't thought too hard about what this could mean for me. And on the way here I started to and once I did..I got a little anxious. And a little excited…Why are _you_ nervous?"

Arden was surprised at being asked a question but she didn't mind.

"I'm very close with one of my bosses," Arden explained. "There's a lot of pressure on all of us right now and I really, really want to bring him something good. I'm hoping this meeting might lead to that."

"Well then," Jordan smiled, scooting her chair closer to the table. "Let's not let your boss down."

* * *

Phil put his hands in his pockets as he walked up the front steps to the door of Jordan's building. He was a little early but she'd mentioned that she was off work that day and he happened to be in the neighborhood earlier than he expected to be. Colt was still going to meet them there at 6 which meant he had Jordan to himself for a few hours. He knew that he shouldn't be thinking that way about someone else's girlfriend, regardless of how huge of an asshole her boyfriend was, but he couldn't help it. He wasn't going to cross any lines but he couldn't stop himself from thinking about it.

He was drawn out of his thoughts when the door opened before he had a chance to press the button for Jordan's unit. He smiled when he saw Mrs. Davis walking out in her cleaning uniform with a large box of cleaning supplies.

"We meet again," he smiled at her.

"So we do," she quipped. "You're here to see Ms. Wyatt, I take it."

"I am although now that I've seen you my day is made," he smirked. "You need any help with that?"

"You're very kind but I can handle this myself," she smiled at him. "I'll have to tell Ms. Wyatt she's made quite an upgrade in the boyfriend department."

"Oh I'm not her boyfriend," Phil held up a hand.

"She's still with that footballer?" Mrs. Davis frowned. "I should've known. The house wasn't as neat as it usually is last time I was there. I'd really hoped she was jumping ship after your little speech."

Phil shrugged, "I can only do so much I guess."

"Do me a favor dear," she whispered and then with a wink continued, "Keep trying."

With that, she walked down the stairs and turned right, heading down the street. Phil laughed, shaking his head. He would have to tell Jordan what her cleaning lady thought of her taste in men. Mrs. Davis had left the door open so he walked in, closing it behind him and took the stairs up to Jordan's door. He knocked on the door and after a few minutes it opened to a giant man about half a foot taller than him. He looked up at his face and recognized him as Wesley Cartwright.

Wesley broke into a warm smile, "Hey man. What the hell are you doing here?"

Phil had met him a few times when Jets players had come to shows in New York. Wesley had always seemed to him like a smart guy, really funny and likeable.

"I'm here to see your sister," Phil said.

"Oh yeah?" Wesley raised an eyebrow, looking a little suspicious. "How do you know Jordan?"

"She uh..she interviewed me a while back and we just..sort of..became friends," Phil shrugged, hoping Wesley couldn't read minds.

Apparently he couldn't because he shrugged and the suspicious look disappeared, "Well Jordan isn't here at the moment. She should be back pretty soon. You're more than welcome to hang out and wait. You good with kids?"

"Kids?" Phil laughed. "I guess it depends on which kids we're talking about."

Wesley was about to say something else when a young boy came running to the door. Phil didn't have to ask whose he was. He was like a mini-Dex.

"CM Punk!" the young boy exclaimed, his eyes as wide as saucers when he spotted Phil. He seemed to have completely forgotten what he was coming to the door for.

"You know this guy?" Wesley looked down at the boy. "I was just about to kick him out."

"You can't kick him out Wes! That's CM Punk!" he exclaimed. "He's the champ."

"The kid's right,' Phil smirked at Wesley. "I am the champ."

"And apparently you're good with _this_ kid," Wes opened the door wider, waving him in. "Come on, you can help me play Mr. Mom."

* * *

"He said that to you?" Jordan stared after Arden told her about her boss implying she'd slept her way into her job.

"Not directly to me," Arden explained, taking a bite of one of the sandwiches the young man from the front desk had brought in for them. "I overheard it. He was around the corner from my desk."

"What a dick!" Jordan said, shaking her head. "Did you say anything to him about it?"

Arden blushed and Jordan momentarily regretted her choice of words. It didn't seem to offend Arden though. Normally she would never say something like that in an interview setting but she and Arden had hit it off well so far. She felt very comfortable and though Arden was more shy and reserved, she could tell she was enjoying herself too.

"I didn't say anything," Arden shook her head. "I didn't want to start any drama. I'm not a very confrontational person."

"And you work in television production?" Jordan smirked.

"I know," Arden laughed. "I'm an anomaly. Nate's not a horrible guy or anything he just..he's pig headed and not about the right things. His idea of a real flagship show for the network is Legends House."

"I heard about that!" Jordan exclaimed. "And don't get me wrong, I'm totally gonna watch that, but I don't think that's exactly what you wanna hang your hat on if you want anyone who's not a dork like me to take you seriously."

"That's what I think!" Arden said, showing more animation than Jordan had seen from her yet. "Nate never even _watches_ wrestling. He tells everyone he does but I'm positive that he's full of it."

"So then he doesn't get that when you get so much ridiculousness between Raw and Smackdown and Impact, if you wanna go there, sometimes you want a little more depth," Jordan said.

"Exactly," Arden nodded. "I said that exact same thing to him and he told me I was being idealistic. That doesn't even make sense."

"Yeah, I stand by what I said about him earlier," Jordan said, picking up her sandwich. "So what is it that _you_ think would work best?"

"I think the fans would like something that gives them a backstage pass," Arden said. "Wrestlers in the real world."

"Take the best parts of shows they've done before like confidential but make it better," Jordan said. "One on one interviews with real questions that you wouldn't expect someone to be allowed to ask. _That_ could get you ratings. And of course you have your fluff pieces too. A tour of their houses, cars, favorite restaurants, things like that. With our podcast, Matt and I sometimes go through and check the type of content that gets the most downloads. A lot of the time it's when we get an interview and barely ever talk about wrestling. We had a 20 minute conversation once with Jay Lethal about what it was like meeting Mickey Rourke and how badly he got screwed out of an Oscar. People loved it. A lot of what people like about our show is that we go off the rails a lot. We go off on tangents and talk about anything and everything and you can tell everyone is having fun. And sometimes it gets serious, even tense, but people love that too because it's honest."

"You're right," Arden smiled, nodding. "That's the type of show that people will watch. And you would be the perfect host for it."

"You don't have to say that just because you like the idea," Jordan laughed.

"I'm not, I mean it," Arden insisted. "Would you be willing to work with me on a pilot?"

"Are you kidding?" Jordan smiled.

"No," Arden shook her head.

Jordan disregarded the other woman's answering of a rhetorical question, "I have no idea what filming a pilot like this would entail but I am totally down for whatever that is."

"Okay," Arden smiled. "Then I have some phone calls to make."

* * *

Phil looked over his shoulder as DJ ran into the kitchen to get a snack. Between jumping all over them like a jungle gym and then kicking their asses in every Xbox game Jordan had, the kid was wearing them out and he showed no signs of waning energy.

"Damn," Wes rolled his shoulders. "I haven't been this tired since the last game of the season."

"Yeah he's a workout," Phil laughed, sitting down on the couch. He was having a lot of fun. DJ was a great kid. He was ridiculously smart for his age and he did an amazing Sheamus impression. Phil was considering taping it to show it to Stephen next time he saw him. At the same time, the fact that Dexter's son was so enthralled with him was _almost_ too weird.

"Thanks for hanging out," Wes said. "I had no idea DJ's idol would be stopping by. That kid is gonna have stories for his little friends for days."

"Yeah," Phil laughed, shaking his head. "I gotta tell ya, this is weird on a level I can't even begin to explain."

"Why's that?" Wes asked.

Phil reminded himself that he was talking to Jordan's brother, "I don't know. Just is."

* * *

Jordan felt like she was floating as she walked down the hall toward her door. She was beyond excited after having such a great interview. She and Arden had hit it off really well and she got the impression that the other woman would really push for this project. She couldn't believe it. A month ago, the idea of doing something like this wasn't even on her radar. But now that it was, it seemed crazy to her that she hadn't thought about it before.

She was drawn out of her thoughts by the sound of yelling coming from her place. The walls in her building were pretty thick, which she'd always loved, so she couldn't make out any words but the voices had to be incredibly loud for her to hear anything at all. She rushed to the door, unlocking it quickly and walking inside. What she found was completely unexpected. Wesley and Phil were sitting on opposite ends of her couch while DJ, shoes and all, was standing on the couch, doing some sort of victory dance.

"Damn little man," Wesley laughed, shaking his head. "You're too good at this. I'm gonna have to call your mom. It's not possible for you to be this good and be doing all your homework and stuff."

DJ smiled proudly, "I got all A's on my last report card."

"I call shenanigans," Phil said. "I was not informed that I'd be playing against a boy genius."

She cleared her throat and all three turned to look at her. Phil waved the controller in his hand smiling awkwardly. Wes picked DJ up, setting him down on the floor, looking like he knew he was about to get in trouble.

"Jordan! You didn't tell me you knew CM Punk!" DJ exclaimed, running over and hugging her.

"I had no idea you'd know who that is," she explained hugging him back. "I also didn't know you were gonna meet him."

"I stopped by early," Phil explained.

"Ah," she nodded, looking around. Dex was nowhere to be found. She tried not to show her frustration with DJ around. He dragged her toward the couch and she smiled at Phil, "So..who's winning?"

"I beat him 5 times," DJ beamed. "And Wes 3."

"Wow," she smiled. She whispered quietly to Phil, "You know, you don't have to let him win _that_ much."

"I didn't," Phil laughed. "The kid is a ringer. I think he designs video games in his spare time."

She laughed, gently squeezing DJ's hand, "Why don't you go boot up my laptop bud. Your mom emailed while I was gone. She wants to skype tonight."

"Okay," DJ said, rushing toward her bedroom. Once he was in her room, she turned to Wes, "Where the hell is Dex?"

Wesley sighed, "He texted me about an hour ago. Said he'd be here soon. I figured he told you too."

She could feel her blood beginning to boil. She hated that feeling. She hated being angry, especially when she knew she was going to have trouble controlling it. She took a deep breath and looked over at Phil, "I think I'm gonna have to cancel pizza plans for tonight. I gotta stay here with DJ."

"You sure?" Phil asked. "I can tell Colt to grab the pizza and bring it here. I would love for him to see how much smarter DJ is than him.

She forced a laugh, "I'm sure. Thanks though. I'll see you soon. Wes, thanks so much for helping out. You can go too."

Wes knew her well enough to know that there was no pointing questioning her. He put her in a headlock, rubbing the top of her head, "Love you sis."

"Love you too," she said.

"Let me know if you need anything," he gave her a pointed look.

"I will," she nodded.

Wes patted Phil on the shoulder, "Come on, let's say bye to DJ."

Phil agreed but as they walked down the hall toward her bedroom, he looked back at her, his eyes searching. She turned her gaze out the window, taking another deep breath. She hoped she could get DJ to bed before Dexter showed up. She didn't want him to hear what she had to say.

* * *

**6:30**

Jordan didn't move when she heard the door open. DJ had gone downstairs to play with her neighbor's two sons. She knew he wouldn't be back yet. The only person that could be waltzing into her house at that moment was Dex.

"Baby, I am so sorry," he said as he walked into the living room. "I was at the toy store and they didn't have-"

"I don't care," she said quietly, holding up a hand to stop him. "I really don't."

He sighed, putting his hands on his hips, "You're mad."

She didn't acknowledge what he said. She still hadn't looked directly at him. 'Mad' didn't come close to describing the way she felt. She wasn't even sure what word _was_ appropriate. She finally looked at him and when their eyes met, she felt the anger welling up inside of her.

"I can handle you disappointing me Dex. Hell, I _expect_ it," she said. "But disappointing _DJ_? He's here for a weekend and you leave him for a whole day. What were you thinking?"

"I got caught up..and I knew you would be here," he shrugged.

"You knew I had to leave. I told you it was _important_," she said, standing up. "Do you even understand what that means?"

"You got to go wherever you were going," Dex said, his voice getting louder. "I knew you would make sure he was taken care of."

"Listen to yourself!" Jordan exclaimed, feeling her muscles tense sharply. She couldn't believe he was being so nonchalant. "Dex, he is _your_ son, not mine. I love him but he's not."

"Wes texted me when he got here. I knew DJ was fine," he insisted.

"Wes was here because _I_ got him here," she said, standing in front of Dex. "I called him and he dropped what he was doing to come here. _My brother_ was more concerned with DJ than you."

His brown eyes narrowed and his jaw clenched, "Don't act like I don't care about my son Jordan."

"I know you do..but that doesn't make what you did today okay," she pointed.

"He was fine!" Dex yelled.

"How would you know? You didn't even call to check on him!" she yelled back. "You haven't even asked where he is since you got here."

"Because you were down my throat the second I got here!" he exclaimed.

"And whose fault is that?" she asked.

"J, why are you freaking out like this?" he asked. He paced in front of her and then stopped, giving her a sympathetic look, "Is this about your mother?

Jordan stared at him, astonished. She thought he had a lot of nerve before but bringing that up took things to a new level. With a great amount of effort she spoke her next words quietly, "This has _nothing_ to do with that."

"You sure?" he asked. "Cause I kinda feel like the punishment doesn't fit the crime here."

"Do you ever Dex?" she asked. "Do you ever actually feel like you did something wrong?"

"You act like I've never apologized."

She scoffed, "You've said the words. Meaning them is different."

"I mean what I say," he insisted.

"I don't believe you," she shrugged, beginning to pace in front of the doors to the balcony. She shook her head, "I feel responsible for this. I've always thought that I was helping you be better but in reality, all I've done is make you _worse_. I've let you get away with _so much_ bullshit that you actually think this is okay…You don't respect me or my time. Or what I do for you. And now you're starting to do it to DJ. This has to stop."

"Jordan it was one time," he walked over, gently grabbing her arm and turning her to face him.

"One time is enough," she said, feeling tears sting her eyes. She was so immensely frustrated it was like her body couldn't contain it.

"You wanna know why I was out so long?" he asked, reaching into his pocket. He pulled out a black velvet box. "I was buying you this."

He opened the box and Jordan was nearly blinded by a stunning diamond ring.

"What the..." she stared. "Is that an _engagement_ ring?

"Yeah," he nodded. "You wanna keep yelling at me now?

"Oh my God," she pulled out of his grasp, putting a hand to her forehead. "Dex put that thing away."

"_That's_ how you show gratitude?" his face twisted in anger.

"_Gratitude_?" she scoffed. "What the hell do I have to be grateful for? You don't wanna _marry_ me. You just want me to be your babysitter forever. No. I'm not gonna do that."

"So what are you saying?" he asked.

At that moment, with that question, Jordan realized exactly what was happening. She couldn't do this to herself anymore. If she continued to let him treat her the way she did, all she was doing was diminishing her value; in her own eyes and the eyes of everyone else. She needed to stop worrying about making him better and focus on making herself better. Dexter Howard had been her boyfriend for most of her adult life and when he flashed a giant diamond in her face she felt...nothing. The fact that she was so unaffected caused her more sadness than the prospect of what she was about to do. Apparently this day was going to be all about taking steps toward her future.

"I'm saying..I'm saying that I really believe there's a good man in there somewhere but I can't seem to bring it all the way to the surface. And I don't wanna try anymore."

* * *

**Hope you all enjoyed. Here's a preview for Chapter 8...**

**Phil has an unexpected reaction to the news of Jordan's breakup.  
**

**Jordan's nerves threaten to get the better of her when she and Arden present their pilot in front of Vince McMahon  
**

**Beth and Phil have a talk  
**


	8. Chapter 8

**Sorry for the delay, been a very busy couple of weeks at work but the good news (I hope) is I've got another double update! Also things changed a bit from the time that I wrote the last chapter so the preview I gave was a little off. I promise to be more accurate in the future. Enjoy.  
**

**Chapter 8…**

_1 Week Later…_

Arden sat silently beside Jordan as Jason, Matt, and Wesley watched their freshly edited pilot. All three men were sitting on Jordan's couch while the women stood behind them, both too anxious to sit down. Arden was dead tired. She and Jordan had been working non stop on putting the pilot together. The day after their interview, Jordan used her show's website to recruit some wrestling fans. She'd also called in favors from some popular Chicago athletes. Throughout the week, they conducted interviews with quite a few people with Jordan making sure everyone was asked the same question: When did you become a wrestling fan? Once they had enough answers, they edited together the funniest and most touching stories for the opening segment of the show.

Arden made countless calls trying to get a current WWE talent for an interview. After a ridiculous amount of run around, she was thrown a little bone: Windham Rotunda aka Husky Harris was recovering from shoulder surgery and had about 2 hours free on Thursday. The catch was that Jordan and Arden would have to fly to Florida. Arden was concerned that they wouldn't get enough footage and it wouldn't be worth it but Jordan assured her that she could make it work. After spending about an hour with him, she and Jordan managed to get them an entire day and they got some great footage.

They decided on the name "All Axxess". It was Arden's idea to incorporate the WWE's constant unnecessary misspelling of the word 'Access'. After all of the travel and filming and editing, Arden was pretty exhausted but she was having a lot of fun. Jordan was so easy to work with. She was serious about her work and the product they put out but she tried to make sure that the work environment was always as pleasant as possible. The two camera men that they were using absolutely adored working with her and had already asked if they could come on permanently should the show get picked up. The women had the same taste in food and music so their marathon editing sessions were always fun. Arden could feel in her gut that they had something really good on their hands. It was a rough cut, obviously but pilots weren't supposed to be perfect as long as the message was clear.  
The DVD ended and as the screen went blue, she realized she was holding her breath.  
"Wow," Matt said with little enthusiasm.  
"That was uh…" Wesley seemed to be searching for words.  
Jordan walked around to stand in front of them, "If one of you doesn't say something soon, good or bad, I'm gonna choke you out."  
Matt and Wesley started laughing and Jason broke into a huge grin, "Good work ladies."  
"You think it's good?" Jordan said, looking anxious.  
"Yes, _stupid_, it's awesome," he laughed, getting up and wrapping her in a tight hug.  
"Good job ladies," Wesley smiled.  
Matt laughed, "You should've seen your faces."  
"Wait..do you really think it's good or are you guys just scared of Jordan?" Arden came around to the front of the couch as well.  
"Arden, one thing you're gonna have to learn about this one," Jason pointed to Jordan. "She's full of empty threats. Nobody's scared of her. We just wanted to mess with you guys."  
"Seriously, that was really good," Matt insisted. "It was funny. The theme was good. You made me interested in Husky Harris and I could not possibly have cared less about that guy before seeing that."  
Arden felt herself smiling so hard it almost hurt. She'd spent a lot of time with these men in her time in Chicago and she respected their opinions. She looked over at Jordan, laughing when she saw the other woman doing a happy dance.

So what do you guys do next?" Wesley asked, rolling his eyes at his sister's dance.  
"We have a meeting on Monday to present the pilot," Arden answered. "And after that, we play the waiting game."  
"So what about The Score?" Wesley asked. "Aren't you still under contract?"  
"I am," Jordan nodded. She smiled over at Arden, "Arden went to the higher ups and proposed a schedule that would only take me off of the air Mondays and Tuesdays. They're all over it because of the free publicity they'll get if this all works out. I don't want to get too far ahead of myself though. This all depends on the pilot presentation."  
"So you two have to put on nice outfits and charm some old guys," Wesley shrugged. "I don't think it's gonna be hard."  
"It could be," Arden said. "Vince McMahon is gonna be there."

"He is?" Jordan looked surprised. "I thought you said he probably wouldn't."

"He hasn't been for other pilots," Arden answered. "But Bob emailed me a little while ago and said he mentioned the project to Vince and he wants to come."  
Jordan sighed, putting her hand on her hips, "Well…this just got infinitely more awesome and scary all at the same time."

* * *

"After you," Phil held open the town car's backseat door. Beth smiled, sliding into the seat. He followed, closing the door behind him. The two of them had just finished filming a talk show appearance to promote their Raw and Smackdown tapings. Much to Phil's amazement, they were actually getting along. He had been worried as he walked to the car that morning that he wouldn't make it out alive. To Beth's credit, she'd greeted him nicely when she saw him and they made small talk on the way to the studio. The Beth he'd gotten used to couldn't go 30 seconds without at least shooting him a dirty look but this morning she was..._pleasant_. He was beginning to think it might actually be possible for them to be friends.

"What are you smiling about?" she asked, looking over at him.

"Nothing in particular," he shrugged. "Just in a good mood."

"Well pass some of that good cheer on to me, maybe it'll help with the jet lag," she laughed. Overseas flights were always tough but Beth usually seemed more affected than anyone. Maybe that explained the personality shift.

"Doubt that's gonna help but I'll try," he laughed. "You wanna hang out for a while, see some of the sights?"

She looked surprised by his offer but shrugged, "Sure. Why not?"

* * *

_Tuesday…_

Jordan slapped at her phone, trying to shut off the noise. She couldn't figure out why she'd set her alarm so early. She didn't have to get ready to leave for another 2 hours. Her flight was delayed the night before and she arrived at her hotel about 4 hours later than she'd expected which meant she got a _lot_ less sleep. She hit the phone one more time and accidentally knocked it off of the nightstand. She heard the pieces come apart and groaned, hanging herself over the side of the bed and gathering them. She rolled onto her back and putting the phone back together and turning it back on. Now that she was awake, she realized she should probably check to make sure it wasn't Arden calling to say their meeting was moved up. Opening her call log, she saw that the call she missed was from her father. After that, he'd sent her a text saying that he was just calling to wish her luck and he expected a call once her meeting was over. She smiled, texting him back, promising he would be the first person she called. He had always been endlessly supportive of her and Wesley in everything they did. He was one of the only people she'd told about Arden and the pilot because she knew he would be encouraging and not make her more nervous. When she was young, she'd often wondered if they'd been given such an amazing father because they'd gotten pretty screwed in the 'mom' department. She was about to put her phone down when she got another text. She assumed it would be from her dad but smiled in surprise when she saw that it was from Phil.

_Long time no talk. What's up weirdo?_

Phil had been on a tour of the UK for the last week. She hadn't even had a chance to talk to him after the drama with Dex. He was out of the country and she had been _beyond_ busy working on the pilot with Arden. She texted him back: _Not a whole lot at the moment. In LA for work._

_Me too, imagine that. You aren't following me, are you?_

_You wish_, she responded.

_I might. What are you doing tonight?_ He asked.

_As of right now, my night is clear_

_Not anymore. You owe me for bailing on the Pizza-Off_

_I had a good excuse. Don't you have to work?_ She asked. It was a Tuesday night after all.

_We already taped Raw and Smackdown in London. I'm all yours._

She smiled at the thought, _Alright then. What are we doing?_

_I'll come up with something. Text me where you're staying and I'll pick you up tonight._

* * *

"Well, well, I should've known I'd find you sitting on your ass."

Bob looked up from his Blackberry when he heard a familiar voice. Vince McMahon walked into the conference room, smiling.

"You look like hell," Bob got up, walking over and giving his good friend a hug. He'd known Vince since late 1984 when he helped negotiate the deal to get Saturday Night's Main Event on NBC. They became fast friends, going out for a beer or two after long meetings and now, almost 30 years later, they were still working together.

"How's the wife?" Vince asked.

"Busy as ever," he answered. His wife Allison was an interior designer and, though they had enough money to live comfortably without either of them having to work again, she'd always insisted on keeping her job. She said she would stop when she couldn't do it anymore.

"Stephanie wants to redo her house, I told her to give Allison a call," Vince explained. "You think she'll have the time?"

"She'll make time for Stephanie," Bob explained, heading back to his seat.

"Will Nate be joining us?" Vince asked.

"Yup," Bob nodded. He looked down at his watch. Their meeting wasn't set to start for another 20 minutes. "Nate will come in here a minute before we're supposed to start, running like a chicken with his head cut off. He's a very predictable man."

"And you think Arden's got something good on her hands here?" Vince asked.

"I think Arden's got great gut instinct," Bob said. "And I've seen and read some of Jordan Wyatt's work. I like her. She's got personality. She's smart."

"How does she look?" Vince asked.

Bob rolled his eyes, "The camera loves her."

"I think I'm gonna throw up," Jordan paced back and forth in front of Arden's desk. "I really don't wanna throw up on Vince McMahon."

"Aren't you supposed to be the one here who never gets nervous?" Arden asked, taking the pilot DVD out of her computer. She'd just double checked the copy to make sure they wouldn't have any technical glitches in their meeting. She was nervous too but she was trying her best to hide it. One of them needed to come off as calm and cool.

"I _am_ supposed to be that person Arden," Jordan confirmed. "But I'm not right now and I don't know why and that freaks me out even more, which is why I think I'm gonna throw up."

"Okay, just take a deep breath, we're gonna be fine," Arden coached.

"We look like the Blues Brothers, Arden," Jordan gestured between them. "We are so not fine."

Jordan had a point there. Arden had been a little alarmed when they both showed up wearing fitted black suits with white shirts. The only discernible difference was their shoes. Jordan's pumps were purple, Arden's were black.

"Okay just..take off your jacket," Arden suggested. "Problem solved."

"Good call," Jordan said, taking off her jacket and draping it across a chair. "Listen, I would understand if you think I'm crazy now and you just wanna cancel this whole thing."

Arden walked over, putting her hands on Jordan's shoulders and giving her a slight shake, "Jordan. I feel like we've become friends, right?"

"Yeah, of course," Jordan agreed.

"Okay, then as your friend, it is my duty to tell you that you have got to snap the hell out of it or we're gonna blow it," Arden said. "I'm not exactly the most charismatic person in the world so when we walk in this room, I need you to turn off the nerves and turn on the charm. You do that and this whole thing is just a formality. Okay?"

Jordan took a deep breath and nodded, "You're right. This is gonna be a piece of cake."

"With sprinkles and frosting," Arden held up a hand for a high five.

Jordan laughed, slapping her hand, "Let's go…Dork."

* * *

Bob smiled, looking through the pictures of Vince's grandchildren.

"You're a lucky s.o.b.," he laughed, patting his friend on the shoulder.

Vince was about to respond but before he could, the door opened and Arden walked in, followed closely by Jordan.

Jordan's brown eyes went wide when she saw Vince and Bob couldn't help but chuckle, "Ladies. Nice to see you."

"I'm sorry, we thought the room would be empty while we set up," Arden apologized. She smiled at Vince and offered her hand, "So nice to see you again Mr. McMahon."

"You as well," Vince shook her hand. He smiled at Jordan, offering her a handshake, "And you must be Jordan Wyatt."

"That's what they tell me," she smiled, looking anxious. "Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you," he said. "You seem a bit nervous."

Bob rolled his eyes. Vince always had to point out if someone seemed nervous around him. He'd always enjoyed testing people that way.

"I am," she admitted. "But I'll power through it. I recover quickly."

Bob could swear she winked at that last part. She was a little cocky; he'd noticed that in her podcast. She expressed her opinions with a great amount of confidence. He liked that. And Vince did too, from the look of it. He sat down, already impressed. Bob looked at Arden and, as discreetly as he could, gave her a thumbs up.

"Well, shall we get started?" Arden asked cheerfully.

"We're gonna have to wait for Nate," Bob said. "How about you two have a seat?"

The woman sat next to each other and Bob noticed them exchange an excited glance at each other before turning their attention to the two men across the table.

"Well…" Vince sat back in his chair. "Tell us about your show."

* * *

_20 Minutes Later…_

Nate rushed into the conference room, tightening his tie. He'd completely forgotten which room they were supposed to view Arden's pilot in and, of course, the last room he got to was the right one. He was surprised at the sight he found upon entering the room. Bob, Arden, Jordan, and Vince McMahon were sitting across from each other, laughing uproariously.

"I'm not joking," Jordan laughed. "I shut down our feed for nearly 20 minutes. I jammed up the sound board. It took forever for us to get back up and running."

"And you didn't get into any trouble at all?" Vince asked.

"I got to go home for the rest of the day but I think it was more due to my devastation than my mistake," Jordan laughed. "Fortunately our station manager knows I'm not completely insane."

Nate rolled his eyes at the group, knowing they couldn't see him. He was tempted to turn and walk out. There wasn't any point in watching the pilot. These two men were clearly charmed and unless this pilot was a failure of epic proportions, it was going to get a green light no matter what Nate had to say about it. He cleared his throat and they all finally seemed to notice him. He shook hands with Bob and Vince and then waved at Arden.

"Nate," she gave him a smile so smug he nearly gagged. "This is Jordan Wyatt. Jordan, this is Nate."

"Pleased to meet you," Jordan stood, smiling sweetly at him. "I've heard _so_ much about you."

* * *

"Bryan tells me you're not joining us tonight," Stu said as he and Phil walked out of the gym, heading to his rental car. Bryan had planned some ridiculous bowling outing and Stu was curious to hear how Phil was getting out of it. Bryan had a habit of planning these outings without getting anyone else's opinion.

"Yeah something else came up," Phil shrugged.  
"You got a better offer than _bowling_?" Stu smirked. "Impossible."  
Phil laughed as they got in the car,"I know. I'm really sorry I'm gonna miss out on Bryan being way too competitive and yelling at everyone if he doesn't win. Don't forget to take pictures."  
"Of course," Stu agreed. "So what _are_ you doing this evening?"  
He looked like he didn't want to answer at first but he shrugged it off, "Jordan's in town for work. I'm gonna meet up with her."  
"Jordan who's football player boyfriend threatened you Jordan?" Stu asked, confused. "I thought you stopped seeing her."  
"I did for a little while," he shrugged. "But then we started talking again, before we went overseas."  
"Anything serious?" Stu inquired. "I noticed you and Beth spent a little time together, I thought maybe you were reconsidering that situation."  
"I don't remember asking to play 20 questions," Phil smirked. "But if you must know..it's nothing serious. We're just friends. And I'm just trying to be friends with Beth. That's all."  
"And that's gonna work?" Stu asked, incredulous. "Being _just friends_ with your ex and your current…whatever Jordan is to you."  
"_Jordan_ still has a boyfriend and _Beth_ and I still want different things," Phil laughed. "Everyone's cards are on the table. It's gonna work fine."

* * *

Bob felt a strong feeling of pride running through him as the DVD ended. Arden had produced a really fantastic pilot. Obviously there were some kinks they needed to work out and the format would be a little different but, overall, it was a great effort. Jordan was smart, funny, magnetic. The camera loved her and Arden had edited what Bob knew was hours and hours of footage into a wonderful and cohesive end result. He was completely impressed.

Arden turned the lights back on and then Nate cleared his throat, "Well…ladies, that was..entertaining. Jordan I'm sure Arden has explained to you how this process works. We'll have some discussions over the next few days, maybe even weeks. We'll let you know as soon as we make a decision."

Bob's decision was already made but he didn't like to be too impulsive with these things. He usually watched a pilot three times before he decided whether or not he wanted to back it.

"I do have a few questions," Vince interjected.

"Okay," Arden said, resuming her seat beside Jordan.

"If we were to green light this show, I would like for it to help propel storylines," Vince said. "Would you have a problem being told what questions to ask in an interview?"

Jordan thought for a moment before answering, "Well..I would certainly like to keep as much of the element of realism in the show as possible but I can also see how it could be a useful tool in that way so no, I wouldn't have a problem with being _asked_ to go in a certain direction as long as _you_ wouldn't have a problem with my occasionally having a differing opinion. For this to really work, I think I have to have final say."

Vince nodded thoughtfully.

"And you're proposing a schedule where Jordan would travel with the company Saturday through Tuesday, correct?" Bob asked.

Arden nodded, "It's the most cost effective way to do it. Jordan gets access to the talent when they would already be there and no one is inconvenienced by having to do extra work in the few off days they have. Also, it allows us to do things on the fly if necessary. Say you decide you want a post Raw interview to air exclusively on Jordan's show. You have her right there to shoot it and you can start promoting it immediately."

The two women fielded a few more of Vince's questions and Bob found himself admiring their chemistry. They played off of each other very well. Bob had never seen Arden get along this well with someone her own age. It gave him an idea to discuss with Vince once the meeting was over.

"Alright, everyone finished?" Nate asked, looking even more irritated than usual.

Everyone nodded and Nate got up, obviously grateful for the opportunity to exit, "Good. Ladies, we'll be in touch."

"Thank you so much for your time," Jordan shook Vince's hand again. "It was really incredible to meet you."

Vince smiled at her, "I'm sure I'll be seeing you soon."

* * *

_10 PM_

Phil pulled up in front of Jordan's hotel, expecting to have to wait at least a few minutes for her. To his surprise, he immediately spotted her walking through the lobby. She looked frustratingly good as usual. She was wearing a loose white t-shirt and a tight blue skirt that stopped just above her knees. Her hair looked curlier than usual, topped with a black bowler hat. She flashed her brilliant smile when she saw him and he got out, walking around the car and opening the door.

"You're on time?" he smiled, "This must be a special occasion."

"You seemed pretty insistent on seeing me, I figured the least I can do is be on time," she smiled, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek. He moved to his side of the car and they both got in. She looked at him expectantly, "So where are we going?"

"You'll see soon enough," he answered.

"Is this a kidnapping?" she smirked, rolling down her window. "Should I be worried?"

"Hey, you got in the car," he laughed. "Besides, I'm sure Dex will come looking for you soon enough."

She laughed loudly, shaking her head.

"What's so funny?" he asked.

He looked over at her and saw a look of realization dawning on her, "Oh my God I didn't tell you. It's been so crazy lately."

"Didn't tell me what?" he asked. "What's going on?"

"I broke up with Dex."


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9…**

"This place is nice," Jordan said, sitting on the trunk of Phil's rental. He'd driven her to a point that overlooked the city. He said he used to drive there when he was staying with a friend in LA years earlier.

"It is pretty cool, huh?" he looked over at her, standing beside her, leaning against the trunk, resting his weight on his elbows. He shook his head, looking over at her, "I can't believe you didn't tell me about Dex."

"Honestly, I thought I did," she admitted. "I've been all over the place lately. Besides, if you had any time to check Twitter you would know. I've literally had like a hundred Chi-town skanks thank me for dumping him right when he moves to the city. 'Thank You Jordan' was actually trending for a few hours one night. It was kind of amazing. I'm pretty sure I have a fan club now."

He laughed heartily and she smiled, enjoying the sound.

"I'm totally serious," she laughed with him. "Never underestimate the power of skanks. Those girls make things happen."

"Oh I don't doubt that," he smirked, looking up at her. "So…how's single life treatin' ya?"

"Oh great," she said with dramatic enthusiasm. "I've been having _tons_ of sex. Men are coming at me left and right. It's _crazy_."

"Oh yeah?" he raised an eyebrow, amused.

She nodded, "Yup. I can barely even walk at this point."

He laughed, "Are you _ever_ serious?"

"On occasion," she shrugged. She sighed deeply, "Honestly, I've been working my ass off lately. I haven't even had time to _think_ about being single, let alone _do_ something about it. Hell, I didn't even _tell_ you."

She looked over at him, admiring how good he could look in a pair of ratty jeans and an old ECW shirt. She was being honest when she said that all she'd done the last few weeks was work. But she couldn't deny that he'd been on her mind. The morning after she broke up with Dex, she wanted to call him but she thought that might seem a little desperate. It seemed improper to skip the mourning period for a relationship that long. Although sleeping with Phil the first day she met him didn't exactly make her seem like the most proper lady in the world.

She looked down at her nails and then out at the view, "I did spend what little free time I had thinking about this guy.."

"Oh yeah?" he moved, standing in front of her, his hands in his pockets. "Tell me about this guy."

"_Well_," she sighed. "He's good looking, funny.."

"Best wrestler in the world?" he smirked.

"_Mmm_, no," she shook her head. "Probably second though."

He glared at her and she giggled as he stepped closer. She had to angle her legs away to keep from kneeing him.

"And smart, right? Very smart," he pointed.

"I guess so," she shrugged.

"Charismatic and-"

She cut him off, leaning forward and pressing her lips to his. She couldn't help it, having him that close without the thought of Dex looming over her head was just too much. His hand slid up the back of her neck and she felt a thrilling shiver up her spine as he deepened their kiss. He rested his other hand on the small of her back and then pulled her forward until she was on the edge of the trunk, pressed close to him.

She slowly pulled away from their kiss, her forehead resting against his, "Sometimes he talks too much."

He gazed at her with a look so full of lust that Jordan felt her temperature skyrocket, all of her nerves tingling.

"I'm sure he can work on that," he said, pulling her back to his mouth. He pulled her so quickly that she slid off of the trunk. Fortunately, her knees didn't completely give out when her feet hit the ground. She trailed her kisses away from his lips, over his jaw, and onto his neck. He groaned deep in his throat, pressing his hand against the window behind her.

"Jordan," he said, through what sounded like clenched teeth.

She leaned away, smiling at him.

"I think we should go back to the hotel," he said.

"Why?" she asked, sliding her hand under his shirt. "There's nobody else here. I don't think I can wait that long."

He bit his bottom lip but she could see that he was still thinking about leaving. What was with him always wanting to get to a bed?

She kept her gaze on him, slowly pulling her skirt up enough so she could slide her panties down over her hips. She stepped out of them, smirking, "Come on. I won't tell if you won't."

* * *

Phil felt whatever control he had left slip away when she looked at him with that sly smile, her panties dangling from her finger. He pulled her back into a kiss, his hand on the back of her neck again, holding her close. He groaned, languishing in the feeling of her body pressed against his. He moved them around to the side of the car and she opened the backseat door, tossing her hat inside.

He laughed against her lips, "Really?"

"I like that hat," she said, unbuckling his belt. "I don't wanna lose it."

He was about to say something else when she slid her hand into his pants, wrapping it around his extremely hard shaft. He ran his hands through her hair, pulling her into another long, deep kiss. He had to put a hand on the trunk to brace himself when she stroked her hand over him. Something about her made all of his senses seem like they were cranked up to a hundred. He turned her around, brushing her hair forward over her shoulders and kissing the back of her neck. She moaned, leaning into him, grinding back against him. He bent her forward over the side of the trunk, pulling her skirt all the way up over her hips. He pulled his wallet out of his back pocket, feeling a little bit like a teenager as he fumbled to get a condom out of his wallet.

"Look at you, all prepared," she flashed a smug smile over her shoulder.

He put the condom on, pulling up her right leg, "Aren't you the one that said _I_ talk too much?"

He could tell there was a retort coming but before she spoke, he slowly slid himself inside her, groaning as he felt how incredibly wet she was for him.

"Fuck," she moaned loudly, her back arching deeply. She started to move and he gripped her hips tightly to stop her. It felt incredible to be inside of her and if she moved too much before he had a moment to adjust, this was going to end a lot faster than either of them wanted it to.

* * *

Jordan's hands clenched tightly and she bit her bottom lip hard. Between the way he felt inside her and his vice like grip on her hips, her head was spinning. When he started slowly sliding in and out of her she gasped, closing her eyes. His hands came into view on either side of her as he leaned over her, driving deeper. She tried to match his thrusts until she wasn't even sure which one of them was driving anymore. They were a blur of moans and groans and extremely loud profanity. She felt her orgasm building deep in her belly and she could tell from his increasing speed that he wasn't far behind her. She moaned something that she wasn't sure was completely coherent and he thrust into her one last hard time. After a minute or so they were still bent over the trunk, trying to catch their breath. Jordan felt him place a soft kiss between her shoulders.

"Wow," she said, feeling his weight shift, allowing her to stand up. She turned, smiling at him, "Maybe you _are_ the best in the world."

* * *

Phil woke up when he heard a muffled sound somewhere in the distance. He opened his eyes slowly, smiling when he saw Jordan's dark curls. He realized the sound in the room was so strange because her arm was draped across his head, covering his ear. He gently lifted her arm, placing a kiss on her wrist before sliding out from under it. He sat up, looking at the clock. They'd only been asleep about an hour and for once, he knew if he tried he could get right back to sleep but he wanted to know what the hell that noise was. He surveyed the room but didn't see anything out of the ordinary. He and Jordan had both turned off their phones so that couldn't have been it. He got out of the bed quietly, picking up a pair of shorts from the floor and walking toward the door. He opened it, planning to poke his head out. He wasn't able to thanks to his ex girlfriend standing in his way.

"Good morning," Beth smiled brightly.

"Hey," he said, rubbing the back of his head, trying to angle the door so she couldn't see inside. "What uh..what's up?"

Her smile grew, "I think we need to talk."

"Talk about..?" he quickly looked over his shoulder, making sure Jordan was still sleeping. When he turned back to her she looked serious.

"It's kind of important," she said. "Can I just come in? It won't take long."

He could hear the sheets rustling and he turned, seeing that Jordan was just shifting in her sleep. He hoped Beth didn't hear it but when he turned back he could see that she had. Her blue eyes were narrowed, "Is there someone in there?"

He didn't want to lie to her but he also didn't really want to answer that question at the moment. He moved further out into the hall, pulling the door closed behind him, "Beth, what do you want to talk about?"

"I wanted to talk about us," she said. "Things were so good the other day I was just hoping that maybe we could talk about.."

"Getting back together?" he offered, apprehensive. This really wasn't a discussion he wanted to have, not standing in the hall with another woman in his bed.

"Apparently you weren't thinking the same thing," she said, looking at the door. "Who is it?"

"Beth-"

"I have a right to know Phil," she insisted.

"No, Beth, you don't," he said calmly. He didn't want to upset her further but he didn't like her demanding to know his business either.

"Excuse me?"

"Look, Beth, I'm sorry if you thought that us hanging out and London meant more than it did," he said. "I want us to be friends. I was trying to make that happen. I thought you were too."

"Yeah you're a really great friend," she glared, once again glancing at the door. "Hope she knows what she's getting into."

* * *

Jordan groaned, wishing her phone had some app that could block out the sun for a few extra hours. She was worn out but the room was too bright for her to keep sleeping. She rolled over onto her stomach, propping herself up on her elbows. She spotted her phone on the nightstand and smiled when she saw a post it on top of it.

_Left to get breakfast. Be Back Soon. You're gonna need all your strength today._

She took the post it off, sticking it to the night stand and checking her messages. She had a few from Jason and her brother, nothing urgent. She dragged herself out of bed, took a shower and brushed her teeth with one of the hotel provided toothbrushes. When she walked out of the bathroom she saw the green light on her phone blinking.

She had a missed call from Arden and a text from her that said _Call me back as soon as possible_

She laughed, dialing Arden's number.

"Hello?"

"You know, it's a lot faster to type ASAP than 'as soon as possible'," Jordan smirked, sitting on the edge of the bed. "I feel like you should know that."

"I was frantic," Arden said.

"Why?" Jordan asked, concerned. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Arden said, sounding almost giddy. "Bob called this morning. We got it."

Jordan didn't say anything for a moment. Arden couldn't possibly have been saying what she thought she was saying.

"We got _what_?" she asked.

"They want the show, they love it, they love you," Arden said. "We did it."

"Holy shit, are you serious?"

"Very much so," Arden laughed. "Are you excited?"

"Oh maybe a little," Jordan said, standing up and pacing. "I thought it was gonna take weeks."

"Not this time," Arden said. "They want us to start production soon so it'll be ready when the network launches.

"Okay, we need to celebrate," Jordan said, trying to keep her voice at a normal pitch. "We need to celebrate as soon as possible."

"Don't you mean ASAP?" Arden teased.

"You're getting snarky, you've been spending too much time around me," Jordan laughed. She heard the door opening and smiled, "Okay listen, I have to get dressed, which could take a fair amount of time, and then I'll come to your place so we can commence celebration."

"Sounds good."

Phil walked into the room with bags that smelled gloriously greasy.

"Morning," he smiled.

She smiled back, "Hey."

"You couldn't wait a few minutes to take a shower?" he smirked down at her towel. "I would've loved the show."

"You already saw it all," she laughed. "It doesn't get more interesting."

"I doubt that," he said, eyeing her lustfully.

He reached out for her but she stepped away, "Slow down Kid. Before we get to that..I have to tell you something."

"Okay," he said, walking over and sitting at the foot of the bed. "What's up?"

Suddenly Jordan felt strange. She really hoped this wasn't going to creep him out. Her decision to keep this to herself may not have been the best idea.

"So, what I'm about to tell you, I just want you to understand that I didn't tell you before because I didn't want to jinx anything."

"Okay," he looked confused.

"Well," Jordan smiled. "I got a new job offer today. A really, _really_ great one..And I'm gonna take it, after I look over the contract, obviously."

"That's great," he smiled, seemingly amused by her babbling. "What's the job?"

"That's the semi-weird part," she winced. "The job..is for the WWE Network."

He looked surprised but didn't say anything.

"I got an interview a couple weeks ago, it came completely out of the blue but it was pretty great," she explained. "I've been working with this really great producer, her name's Arden, she's a genius, and we put together a pilot. That's why I'm here. We had a meeting yesterday and apparently they loved it. Arden called this morning and said they want to pick it up."

Phil nodded slowly, still not talking.

"Like I said, I didn't want to tell you because I didn't want to jinx it. I didn't think it would actually happen," she said excitedly. "But now it's happening and whatever this is with us is happening and now I'm thinking I probably should have said something sooner because you totally don't seem excited and I haven't even brought up the part where I spend half the week on the road."

* * *

Phil wasn't really sure what to say. He definitely hadn't expected this. He didn't even know that Jordan was thinking about taking on a new job, let alone one where they would basically be working together.

He tried to come up with something but for some reason, he just couldn't find the right words. He wasn't sure what he was supposed to say.

She frowned, turning away from him, grabbing her skirt from the floor and stepping into it. Phil ran his hands over his hair, "Jordan," he said. "I.."

"I have to go," she said, putting on her bra and then yanking on her shirt. She ran her hands through her hair, "I uh..I'll see you later."

* * *

**Hope you liked it! Please remember to review.**

**In Chapter 10...  
**

**Jordan makes a new friend  
**

**Arden gets surprising news from Bob  
**

**Phil tries to explain himself to Jordan  
**


	10. Chapter 10

**As always, thanks so much for the reviews, i love hearing what you think! And as a thank you, I've got another double update! Hope you enjoy. Don't forget to review!  
**

**Chapter 10…**

Arden opened the door when she heard knocking. She had just buzzed Jordan up. The moment she opened it, Jordan reached out, pulling her into a tight hug. Arden was surprised at first and unsure of what to do. She only ever hugged Bob or Allison. She hugged back, smiling, "You made it!"

Jordan pulled away, "I did. And you're gonna have to get used to this, I'm a hugger."

"I'll work on it," Arden laughed. "Come in."

She led her new friend into the kitchen, "Do you want anything to drink or eat?"

"Later for that," Jordan waved, sitting on a barstool. "I wanna know _exactly_ what Bob said."

Arden sat on the stool across the island, "He said that he loved the show. They really like the concept and the fan interaction. Vince thought it was great that you used your connections with athletes. They both _loved_ you; on camera _and_ in person. Vince especially."

Jordan covered her mouth with her hands and made a giddy high pitched noise.

"They wanna put a lot of money into marketing it," Arden laughed. "They're working on a time table for when to get started right now. He wants it to be soon."

"This is _crazy_," Jordan said, running her hands through her hair. "I still can't believe it. I feel like I'm dreaming."

"Believe it," Arden said. "And get ready because your life is about to get a little crazy."

Jordan smiled excitedly, "This calls for champagne. _Please_ tell me you have some."

"It's the middle of the day," Arden laughed, looking over at the clock on the microwave.

"It's not hard liquor dear," Jordan smiled. "Champagne is okay anytime. Besides, I could really use a drink."

* * *

"Why aren't you saying anything?" Phil asked Stu, growing anxious. He'd just recounted his morning with Jordan and his friend was just sitting there, leaning back in his chair, not saying a word.

"I'm _thinking_," Stu answered.

"Thinking about what?"

"It's just that...I always thought you were good with women considering how many of our coworkers you've dated but..that can't possibly be," he smirked.

"Fuck off Stu," Phil gave him the finger.

"I'm serious," the Brit laughed. "I can't believe you just sat there like a mute. What's wrong with you?"

"I told you, I didn't know what to say," Phil shrugged.

"So your plan was to say nothing?" Stu laughed. "You actually thought that would be okay?"

"It wasn't exactly a _plan_," Phil said, feeling defensive. "She totally blindsided me."

"Well if it makes you feel better your lack of a reaction probably blindsided her," Stu said. "Now you're even."

Phil narrowed his eyes, "You are not helpful."

Stu wasn't exactly an expert on interpersonal relationships. Phil realized maybe he hadn't gone to the best person for advice. He just needed to talk to someone and Colt hadn't answered the phone.

"What exactly would you like for me to say here?" Stu asked.

"I..I don't really know," Phil admitted, running a hand over his hair. "I'm all thrown off."

"Listen, I'm sure she's not some fatal attraction that's coming on the road to boil your rabbit," Stu offered.

"I know that," Phil made a face. "That never crossed my mind."

"Then what's the big deal?"

"It's just that..I was under the impression that we were on the same page. We're both just having fun, no pressure," Phil explained. "Now she lays this on me. What am I supposed to do with that?"

"Wait..did she ever _actually say_ that she was expecting more from you?" Stu asked.

"No," he shook his head. "I told you, she told me about the job and then I froze."

"So what exactly makes you think she does?"

"She's coming on the road with us," Phil reminded his friend.

"For a _job_. A _great_ opportunity for her career," Stu said. "Not for you, you arrogant prick."

Phil was about to defend himself but for the second time that day, he didn't have any words. Stu was right. Jordan never actually said she was expecting anything. She hadn't even told him any of the specifics of what her new job was. He froze up so fast, she just left. Phil wasn't a self-centered person. He was confident but he was never the type to make everything about him. Until now apparently.

"You're right," he sighed, leaning back against his chair. "How the hell did that happen?"

"I believe you owe me an apology," Stu smiled. "I've been very helpful."

* * *

"I _know_ there was someone in there," Beth said, running on the treadmill next to Nattie. She still couldn't get over the conversation she had with Phil that morning. She couldn't believe she actually thought they were turning over a new leaf. She was beginning to think that maybe they could fix things. After talking to Phil, she just felt like an idiot.

"That doesn't make sense," her friend shook her head. "Why would he have flirted with you in London if he was-"

"Screwing someone else?" Beth finished for her. "I don't know."

"Maybe you're wrong," Nat offered. "Maybe-"

"He might as well have confirmed it," Beth insisted. "And he said that I'm making the time we spent together in London more than what it was. He doesn't even realize that he was stringing me along."

"Well whoever it was, maybe it wasn't important," Nattie suggested. "This doesn't necessarily mean you can't still work things out."

"How are we supposed to work things out when there's already someone else?" Beth said. "I just wish I knew who it was."

"Well," Nattie said, slowing her treadmill. "We'll just have to figure it out."

* * *

"So we get home, I unlock the door as quietly as possible and we tip toe inside. My dad's not anywhere downstairs so we think we're in the clear," Jordan said. "We practically _crawl_ up the stairs, and I'm trying to stop giggling. And there's my dad, standing at the top of the stairs. Wes nearly pissed his pants. He freaked out and looked at me like this."

Arden nearly spit out her champagne as Jordan tried to recreate the face her brother made. She was telling the story of the first, and only, time they came home drunk from a party in high school.

"So Wes is staring at me and my dad is practically growling at me and I'm _completely_ sauced," Jordan said. "All I could think to do was pretend I passed out. I figured my dad wouldn't scream at me then. So I put my head down on the stairs and closed my eyes."

"That couldn't possibly have worked," Arden laughed.

"It might have, but I forgot that my overprotective drunken oaf of a brother was right there," Jordan said. "He freaked out and started shaking me. I had to blow my cover to save myself."

"So what did your dad do?"

"Oh he screamed at us for a while then sent us to our rooms. We thought we might get off with just that but then he woke us up at 4:00 the next morning and made us clean out the Bears locker rooms," Jordan explained. "It was disgusting. Having a football coach for a father is definitely not always fun."

Arden laughed, pouring more champagne for both of them.

"Weren't you the one reminding me that it's the middle of the day?" Jordan smirked.

"I was," Arden confirmed. "But you were right, champagne is okay anytime."

"So I'm curious, you've heard all these stories about my family, you've met Wes and my dad. I feel like I don't know anything about _your_ family," Jordan said, taking a sip.

"There isn't much to know," Arden shrugged. "My mom and dad were theater actors, hence my ridiculous Shakespearean name. We moved all over the place _all_ the time. They got a divorce when I was 8 and my dad didn't put up much of a fight for custody so I was stuck basically travelling the country with my mom. Wherever she got a part, that's where we lived. She was always out on auditions or working, I almost never saw her. I taught myself how to do everything, cook, clean, you name it. I went to a different school almost every year all the way through high school so I could never really make lasting friendships, you know? It got to a point where I didn't even bother trying. My mom never remarried. She still does summer stock and those murder mystery things, cruises, dinner theater, stuff like that."

"I didn't think they did dinner theater anymore," Jordan said.

"I think the national association only has like 40 members, honestly," Arden laughed. "Anyway, we never really talk, my dad calls every once in a while. I've always been used to being on my own. I don't have a lot of friends. I'm closer to Bob and Allison than anyone."

"Well now you've got me," Jordan said. "And Wes, Jay, Matt. They all loved you. And they're like leeches; you have to burn them off to get rid of them."

"I'm glad," Arden laughed. She had thoroughly enjoyed her time and Chicago. Jordan and her friends were probably the most welcoming people she'd ever met. Jason and Wes had even ordered her to join Twitter so that they could, in their words, bother her whenever they wanted.

Jordan was about to say something else but her phone started ringing. She picked it up from the coffee table and then frowned; rolling her eyes and setting it back down.

"Everything okay?" Arden asked.

"Oh yeah, life is good," Jordan flashed her a smile.

Arden didn't totally believe her but she didn't push. If she wanted her to know, she would tell her, "So, you think you're ready for life on the road?"

"I'm sure I can handle the travel," Jordan said. "I don't know how I'm gonna do the show without you though. It's gonna be weird working with a different producer. Who's gonna take breaks in the middle of editing to look at shoes online with me?"

Arden laughed, "You're gonna be so busy, I'm sure you won't have time to miss me."

"Aww, I already do," Jordan laughed, pulling her into another hug.

* * *

Phil leaned back against the headboard, dialing Jordan's number. He hoped that maybe he'd given her enough time to cool down. The phone rang a few times before he heard Lionel Richie and hung up. He sighed deeply, looking up at the ceiling. He was bored and considered going out but he couldn't decide on any plans because his mind was too occupied with the nagging feeling that he had to fix things with Jordan. He pulled up Twitter, deciding to spend a few minutes mindlessly surfing to get his mind off of it. Of course, the first thing he saw was a picture she'd posted an hour earlier. She was standing with a pretty redhead, both holding bottles of champagne. The redhead was pretending to kiss her bottle and Jordan was making a silly face. The caption read _To new friends and new opportunities_

She seemed to be having a great time but he knew he'd put a damper on her good mood with the way he acted that morning. He just hoped that maybe, because she looked so happy, he hadn't done as much damage as he thought. He closed Twitter and went to his call log, trying to call her again. He was probably making this a bigger deal than it was. She said she had to go that morning, maybe she really did have to go. They hadn't exactly planned their little sleepover. He heard Lionel much quicker this time. He pulled his phone away from his ear, frowning. That had never happened before. She ignored his call. Probably not a good sign.

* * *

_Friday_

Arden walked to her desk, dropping her purse onto the floor and pulling off her sunglasses. This was sure to be a long day. She was exhausted. Thursday had been Jordan's last night in LA and they had gone out for dinner and drinks, and then stayed up almost all night watching season 3 of Community on DVD and setting up Arden's Twitter account, TeamGinge1285. She went to turn her computer on and saw a post it note on her monitor.

_Come to my office when you get in_

_-Bob_

Arden frowned removing the note and tossing it into her wastebasket as she left. Concerned, she rushed as quickly as her heels would carry her.

"Hey there," he smiled when he saw her. He was sitting at his desk with his door open, tossing a baseball.

"Bob!" she glared.

"What?" he caught the ball again, setting it down on his desk.

"You scared me, I thought something might be wrong when I saw that note," she explained, walking in and sitting across from him.

"If something were wrong I would have called, not left you a pink post it," Bob laughed.

She understood the logic of what he was saying but she was tired and thus, still a little bit annoyed, "What's up?"

"I wanted to tell you what a great job you did bringing Jordan in," he smiled. "Everyone is very excited about her show. Except Nate obviously but that's to be expected."

"I didn't do that much," she shrugged.

"Don't downplay your work Arden," he insisted. "You and Jordan obviously both put in a lot. And you work well together."

"We do," Arden nodded. "I'm so happy for her."

"I'm gonna cut to the chase here," Bob leaned forward on his desk. "I want you to field produce this show."

"Me?" Arden stared.

"I would serve as executive producer. I'll be here for whatever you need, but you do all of the ground work. This is your baby, you and Jordan."

Arden had been in development for most of her career. She knew what needed to be done to produce a show but she'd never actually done it herself. "Bob I can't..I've never-"

"I know exactly what your qualifications are," Bob reminded her. "I also know that you are perfect for this. I emailed Jordan about it this morning, she replied in two minutes. She's over the moon about it."

"Yeah but-"

"Vince wants to fast track the hell out of this show," Bob cut her off. "The way I see it, the best way to do that is with you at the helm. We were very impressed with your vision for the show and you should be the one to see it through."

Arden wasn't sure what to say. There would be a ton of pressure on her and she wasn't quite sure she was ready for that. At the same time, the fact that they had enough faith in her to produce the show was exciting and empowering. It was rare for someone her age to get an offer like this.

"You don't have to worry about job security," Bob assured her. "Unless something catastrophic happens, you can always come back to your job in development. And think of it this way, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity for you."

She nodded, "I don't have much of a choice here, do I?"

"Not at all," Bob smiled.

"Okay then," she laughed. "I guess I'll do it."

* * *

"To my new favorite TV host," Colt raised his glass. He and Jordan were at a sports bar, waiting for Jason, Matt, and a few other friends of hers. He had insisted on helping her celebrate her new job. He was always happy to see one of his friends succeed.

"At least I know one person will be watching," Jordan laughed, tapping her beer bottle against his glass.

"Of course," Colt smiled. "I wonder how long it's gonna take for Vince to come up with an excuse to put you on TV in a bikini."

"Oh I'm sure it won't take long," Jordan laughed. She looked down at the potato skins between them. "I already decided this is gonna be my last shitty meal for a while."

"So when do you start?"

"I met with my agent and lawyer this morning and signed the contract," Jordan said. "I talked to Arden today and we set up some times to work on everything. I have a bunch of Score appearances to fulfill in the next few weeks and I'm gonna try to do the show as many times as I can so I'm gonna be back and forth between here and LA a lot. We should probably be ready to film when the network launches. _If_ it actually launches on schedule."

"That's awesome," he said. "Promise you won't forget me when you're all big time."

"I don't know, I haven't known you that long," she smirked.

Colt was having a good time but there was something he wanted to talk to her about before anyone joined them. He knew he wouldn't have a chance once there were other people there.

"So I feel like there's an elephant in the room," he said, signaling to their waiter to bring them another round of drinks.

"Oh?" she raised an eyebrow, typing a text on her phone.

"What the hell happened with you and Phil?" he asked.

She rolled her eyes and he put a hand over her phone, "Come on, I'm asking as your friend too, not just his."

"You're a hell of a lot closer to him than you are to me," she reminded him, putting her phone down and focusing her attention on him. "And I'm sure you already know _exactly_ what happened so I don't know why you're asking."

"Okay, yes, he gave me his version, I want yours," he offered.

"They should be the same," Jordan shrugged. "I told him I got a job with the network and he looked all freaked out and forgot how to talk so..I left."

"And you're still mad?" he asked.

She looked down at her beer and shrugged again, "I was just surprised. We're supposed to be _friends_. I thought he would be happy for me. I don't know what _was_ going on in his head since he couldn't seem to _speak_ but he certainly wasn't happy."

"He is happy for you Jordan, he just..handled his surprise in a shitty way," Colt explained. "I mean, I think he was just confused because you didn't mention it before. Trust me, he's happy."

She finished her beer as the waiter brought them new drinks. She seemed unsure of what to say next. Colt didn't normally interfere in anyone else's business but he knew that Phil felt pretty awful about the way he'd handled things and Jordan wasn't talking to him so he couldn't tell her himself. Colt knew that Phil really liked Jordan, probably more than he even knew.

Pomp and Circumstance started playing and Jordan looked down at her phone and then turned her brown eyes on Colt, "Did he know you were giving me this talk?"

"Nope," Colt answered honestly. "Just has good timing I guess."

Jordan nodded and then stared at her phone for a few seconds, trying to figure out what to do.

"Jo!"

They both turned when they heard Matt's voice. He and Jason were walking in the front door and both of them had gift bags in hand.

Jordan slid her finger across her phone, declining Phil's call.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11…**

_3 Weeks Later…Wednesday..._

Jordan walked into the WWE network offices, smiling at the staff in the lobby. She'd been in and out of that office so much in the last few weeks that she didn't have to check in anymore. They just smiled and waved at her. It was nice to feel important like that. She and Arden had spent lots of hours in one of the conference rooms hiring their staff and working on marketing. She'd done a few photo shoots, which was a strange experience for her. She'd been to tons of them with Dex, even participating in a few, but having people poking and prodding at her, yanking at her hair, and trying to dress her all at the same time on a regular basis, was something that would take some getting used to. She took the elevator up to the developmental department where Arden worked and made a quick detour before heading to the conference room. She stopped at the doorway to Bob's office, waiting for him to finish a phone call. He smiled when he saw her, waving her in.

"Good morning," she smiled, walking in and sitting down. Bob had spent quite a bit of time with her and Arden working on the show. Since he was executive producing, he was overseeing everything and Jordan had come to enjoy his company. He made sure they had everything they needed and helped her understand some of the things she had no clue about when it came to television production. She'd taken classes on it in college but her focus was mainly print and radio journalism so she wasn't totally prepared for everything they had to do.

"I had to stop and pick up some coffee for Arden, I brought you some too," she said, handing him a Starbucks cup.

"You're very kind, I was just thinking about trying to find the time to run out and get some."

"Well I don't want to hold you up," she said quickly.

"Oh don't worry, I have a few minutes for the lady that brought me coffee," he said. "But I thought you had the day off. We've been working you to the bone. I've never seen a host so involved."

"I thought so too," she laughed. "But Arden called and said she had some super important news that she wanted to tell me in person."

"Ah, I may have some idea what that is," he said. "But I'll let her tell you."

"Oh that's just unfair," she laughed, pointing at him.

"Listen, I'm glad you stopped by," Bob said. "There's something I wanted to talk to you about."

"Okay, lay it on me," she waited.

"It's about Arden," he began. "I can see that the two of you are good friends. And I'm sure she wouldn't want me saying this to you but I can tell that I can trust you."

"Of course you can," she insisted, concerned. "Is everything alright?"

"Everything is fine," he assured her. "Arden is like family to me. I care about her a lot. I just want to know that someone is looking out for her."

"Well I will be, don't worry," Jordan smiled.

"She's had a pretty rough go of it the last few years," Bob said. "She hasn't had many romantic relationships but she was in one a year ago that ended pretty badly. Ever since then she's kind of..closed herself off."

"I didn't know about that," Jordan shook her head.

"I guess the reason I bring it up is because..I'm hoping that this experience will help her to open up," Bob explained. "She deserves every happiness in the world but I worry that she won't let herself have that. I'm hoping you can help to keep her from getting in her own way."

"Of course," Jordan agreed. "She's in good hands."

* * *

Arden forwarded an email with the pictures from Jordan's last photo shoot to the marketing department, making sure to send a copy to Jordan as well. She stifled a yawn, pushing up her glasses. She felt like she'd been working 24/7 lately. After Jordan's show was picked up, everything with the network seemed to start falling into place. They were actually on track to launch in September but that could still change at a moment's notice. In addition to all the work she was doing on All Axxess, Arden helping Bob with a few other shows and she was starting to feel stretched a little thin but not necessarily in a bad way. It was nice to be busy.

"Alright Ginge, I'm here," Jordan walked into the room. "What is this news that couldn't wait?"

Arden smiled, "You should maybe sit down."

"That sounds like a bad thing but you're smiling like it's a good thing," Jordan said suspiciously, sitting at the head of the conference table.

"It's a great thing," Arden said. "The company wants you to a do a special pre show for Money in the Bank."

"Really?"

Arden nodded, "It'll be an hour long show that will serve as a preview for your show _and _a pre show for the pay per view. They want you to sit down with each of the participants in the Money in the Bank matches."

"_Wow_," Jordan marveled. "How did we get from 2 hours with Husky Harris to this?"

"I've been pushing for them to let you do something big before the network launches," Arden explained. "The fans should see you as a source of information. We shot some ideas back and forth and this is the one they liked the best. It's gonna air on the youtube channel and this time. If all goes well, we'll get a pre show on USA before the next pay per view."

"Arden, you are amazing," Jordan smiled.

"I try," Arden laughed, brushing her shoulder. "I guess I'm pretty good at this."

"Have you been Skyping with my brother again?" Jordan raised an eyebrow. The 'brushing the shoulder' move was Wesley's sack dance. People came up to him on the street and did it all the time.

Arden shrugged, "Maybe."

* * *

"Your Pepsi sir," Stu walked over, tossing him a liter bottle. He had just gone to one of the airport's convenience stores to kill a few minutes.

They were waiting for their flight to Phoenix to start boarding. Bryan was off somewhere in search of vegan snack food.

"Thanks, now I can't open it," Phil laughed.

"You're welcome," Stu smiled, plopping down into his seat. "Bryan still hasn't found anything he wants?"

"Apparently not," Phil shrugged. "You know how picky he is sometimes."

Something caught Stu's eye off in the distance and Phil followed his friend's gaze. He saw Beth and Layla walking in their direction. When Beth saw him, she turned away quickly.

"I see things are back to normal with the two of you," Stu teased.

"Oh yeah," Phil nodded. "She hates me more than ever."

"How about Jordan? Does she still hate you?"

Phil looked down at his phone sitting on his lap and shrugged, "I don't even know. She says she doesn't."

"So you've talked?"

"Only in texts," Phil explained. "A few weeks ago she sent me a text saying 'Sorry we haven't talked. Been super busy'. I tried to make plans with her when I was in Chicago but she was out of town. We've sent a couple texts since but nothing serious. Colt's talked to her more than I have."

"And how do you feel about that?" Stu asked.

"Are you my therapist?" Phil laughed.

"You came to me for advice," Stu shrugged. "Excuse me for being interested in the situation."

"I don't know if I would call it a _situation_," Phil shrugged. "I guess we'll know soon though. According to Colt she's supposed to start travelling pretty soon."

"What are you gonna do then?"

Phil shook his head, "I have no idea."

* * *

_Friday…_

"You're sure you both have everything you need?" Jason asked.

"Jay, we're not children," Jordan rolled her eyes.

"I even brought an extra tooth brush in case I lose one," Arden joked.

"You two joke," Jason pointed. "But I don't want you calling me asking me to Fed-ex you something because you forgot it."

"I'll be back on Wednesday," Jordan laughed. "Whatever I forget, I'm sure I can live without for a few days. I have Too Wong Foo on DVD. That's really the only thing I can't live without."

She loved that her friend was so concerned. He had insisted on driving them to the airport instead of letting them take a cab and the whole way to O'Hare he kept trying to make sure they were as prepared as possible.

"You brought that with you?" Jason laughed.

"I always bring it on overnight trips," she shrugged. "It's what I watch when I can't sleep."

"You sure you want to work with this person?" Jason looked at Arden.

"We all have flaws," Arden shrugged. "Thanks for the ride Jason."

"Anytime," he said. "One of you let me know when you land."

"Yes mom," Jordan smiled.

"_You_ let me know," Jason pointed at Arden. "I don't need to talk to this one."

"I love you too Jay," Jordan smiled, reaching through the window and pinching his cheek. "I'll talk to you 50 times before I get back."

"Bye," he waved. "Jerk."

Both women waved and then started dragging their bags into the airport.

Twenty minutes later they were all checked in and waiting for their flight.

Arden looked over at Jordan who was typing away on her laptop. She was excited to really get the ball rolling but she couldn't help but be a little anxious. She was going into a situation that was like nothing she'd ever dealt with before. She overheard Nate telling Bob that she was going to have a hard time dealing with wrestlers and their strong personalities. He told Bob that she was probably going to get her feelings hurt on the first day and come running back. He was wrong though. He took the fact that she was quiet around him as weakness. He never considered that she just didn't have very much to say to him. She could stand up for herself; she'd done it many times before and would have absolutely no problem doing it again. He did have some semblance of a point though. She was definitely going to be dealing with a lot of different personalities, some of which she might not be prepared for.

"Is there anyone that you're nervous to meet?" she asked Jordan.

"Not really," Jordan shook her head. "I learned to stop putting people I interview on a pedestal when one of my all-time sports idols offered to take me out for a drink when I was 17. Why? Is there someone you're nervous about?"

"I'm not the one that has to interview them on camera," Arden shrugged.

"Is there anyone you think is cute?" Jordan smirked.

Arden was surprised by the question and she quickly shook her head, "No. Of course not."

"Why not?" Jordan laughed. "Come on Arden, you're not asexual. It's not an outlandish thought that you might be looking forward to seeing someone in the flesh."

Arden hadn't really thought about it. She hadn't really had time for men in a long time. She used a lot of energy trying to forget her last relationship had ever existed. And she worked so much that she didn't feel like spending what little free time she had searching for a man. She'd been asked out by a fair amount of coworkers but she always said no. She didn't believe in dating people in the workplace. That seemed like asking for trouble.

"You know I don't have time to date," Arden laughed.

"Doesn't mean you don't have time to look," Jordan shrugged.

Arden had been watching a lot more wrestling since she got her job with the network and she had to admit, it was definitely fun to look. She was not immune to the sight of a muscular shirtless man. She could think of a few that were particularly attractive but she wasn't about to say who.

"There totally is someone," Jordan gasped. "There is and you're not gonna tell me."

Arden wished Jordan hadn't developed such a quick ability to read her face.

"Come on, now I'm curious," Jordan said. "Believe me; I won't laugh if it's weird. Any girl who's ever watched wrestling has had a crush on a wrestler. It's a rite of passage."

"Who was yours?" Arden asked.

Jordan scoffed, "Which one?"

"The most recent," Arden answered.

"I'll tell you if you tell me," Jordan offered.

"You first," Arden pointed.

"Oh no, I don't think so," Jordan shook her head. "I'm always the one sharing information here. You first."

"Okay, okay fine," Arden laughed. "Promise not to laugh."

Jordan used her finger to make an X over her heart.

"I can't, I can't," Arden laughed, shaking her head.

"Why? You can trust me!" Jordan laughed.

"I know but I can't say it out loud," Arden said, feeling herself start to blush. "If I say it out loud then I'm gonna meet him and it's gonna be all weird and you're gonna do something to make me laugh or something. I just can't."

"Okay fine," Jordan relented. "I'm gonna let this go for now. But I swear, I am gonna figure this out and when I do, I am gonna give you _so much_ shit."

"Wonderful," Arden laughed.

Jordan went back to looking at her computer but then she looked over at Arden, her expression slightly more serious, "It's not CM Punk, is it?"

"No," Arden shook her head. "Why?"

Jordan shrugged, "No reason."

* * *

Phil walked back into the hotel, shoving his cell phone into his pocket. His neck had been bothering him all week after taking an awkward bump and it was beginning to give him a massive headache. He was walking through the lobby toward the elevator with every intention of going up to his room and trying to sleep when something caught his attention out of the corner of his eye. A woman standing at the front desk holding a purple laptop bag with three suitcases at her side. He smiled, recognizing her immediately without having to see her face. He felt drawn to Jordan like a moth to a flame. Even wearing an oversized Northwestern t-shirt and jeans, she looked unbearably sexy. The small amounts of caramel skin that he could see only made him want to see more. He thought of the way she smelled and the feel of her skin against his. All thoughts of a headache and sleep started fleeing his brain and he shook his head, reminding himself that he couldn't just try to jump Jordan. They needed to talk. _Just_ talk.

* * *

Jordan felt a ball of nerves and excitement spinning in her stomach as she waited for the hotel clerk to find her name. Checking into a hotel had never been all that exciting an experience for her but this time was different.

"Something told me you weren't the type to pack light."

A smile spread across her face when she heard his voice behind her.

"Hi Phil," she said as she turned around.

"Hey," he smiled, hands in his pockets.

"Long time no see," she said.

"I know," he scratched the back of his head, looking around. "Seems like every time I'm in Chicago you're in LA."

"Yeah I've been really, _really_ busy getting things ready for the show," she explained. She noticed him looking around again and she frowned, "Are we about to get mugged or something? Why do you keep looking around like that?"

"I'm sorry," he laughed. "I just uh..I was hoping we could talk. In private."

"Ms. Wyatt?"

Jordan had completely forgotten about getting her room key. Phil seemed to have that effect on her. Everything else seemed to fade into the background. That trait could prove to be very annoying in certain situations.

She turned, smiling apologetically as she was handed her room key, "Thank you so much."

"Do you need help with your bags?" the young woman asked.

"I got it," Phil offered, picking up two of the three suitcases.

"Thanks," Jordan said, picking up the remaining bag and leading the way to the elevator.

"I feel like I haven't seen you in forever," Phil said as they waited for the elevator. "Did you lose weight?"

"Oh that's good," she rolled her eyes as they stepped on. "You really know your women Brooks."

"What's that supposed to mean?" he laughed.

"Oh come on," she laughed. "That's only the best possible thing to say to a woman you think might be mad at you."

"I meant it in more of a 'you look like you need a sandwich' way," he smirked.

Her mouth dropped open and she slapped him on the arm with her free hand.

"I only lost five pounds you jerk," she laughed. "I upped my Pilates a little. Gotta make sure I look good on camera."

"You look perfect," he said. "Don't lose anymore."

She smiled at the matter of fact way he said it. He didn't seem to be trying to flatter her.

"I'll take that under advisement," she said as they exited the elevator.

When they reached her room, she opened the door and gestured for him to enter, "After you."

She closed the door behind her, setting her bag down. He placed the other two beside it and then they both stood, awkwardly, neither of them speaking. Jordan was normally very good at reading situations but she wasn't sure what was about to happen here. She walked past him, sitting on the edge of the bed, the only place to sit in the small room, "So…"

He turned to look at her, rubbing his hand on the back of his neck. She took comfort in the fact that at least he felt as awkward as she did.

"Listen, I should apologize to you," she offered. "I've been a little pissy lately. I've been told I can hold a mean grudge when I want to and it can be pretty unfair."

"It's okay," he shrugged. "It's my fault. When you told me about the new job I acted like a bumbling idiot."

"Ah, now to be a bumbling idiot, you would have had to _speak_," she smirked. He gave her a look and she laughed, "It's okay. I'm over it. Everybody makes mistakes."

"I just..I wanted to explain why I reacted that way," he said, sitting beside her. "I was just confused because it seemed like you might want more from me than I'm ready for."

Jordan cocked her head, a little taken aback, "Why? Because you're so awesome, obviously I was trying to marry you?"

"That's not what I meant," he said. "It just threw me off, okay? You being here like this is just..I didn't expect it."

"Yeah well, I'm here," she shrugged, trying to tamp down her temper. Phil had a right to think whatever he wanted, right or wrong. "We have to deal with it."

"Jordan, I like you," he said, his knee just barely touching hers.

"I like you too," she said, feeling her cheeks flush, her skin beneath her jeans tingling where he touched her. "Not too much though, I swear."

He laughed and she turned to him, studying his face. She tried to think of something clever to say but having him so close and sitting on a bed was extremely distracting. He leaned close to her and she pressed her lips to his, unable to stop herself. He ran a hand through her hair, clenching at the nape of her neck. She parted her lips, allowing the kiss to deepen, stroking his tongue with hers. She leaned back, pulling him with her. A moan escaped him and his hand slid under her shirt. Her hands clenched the front of his shirt. She felt him start to pull away and she opened her eyes, confused.

"Jordan..I didn't mean to.."

He stood up and she sat up, fixing her shirt, "You didn't mean to…?"

"The reason I wanted to talk is because I like you but…I think that if you're gonna be working here…you and I should take a step back."

She raised an eyebrow at him, unsure of how to react, especially considering she'd just tried to jump his bones.

"A step back?"

"It's just that..things ended really badly with me and Beth and it's still tense. If she saw us together it could become a big dramatic thing."

Jordan nodded, wishing that her temperature could cool down as quickly as it shot up.

"And we wouldn't want anyone thinking that I helped you get your job," he added.

She frowned, slightly offended at the suggestion that anyone could make that assumption.

"I'm sorry," he apologized. "I don't know what it is but I'm not that good at words with you sometimes."

"I've noticed," she nodded, standing up. "So let me just make sure I'm understanding: You, Phil Brooks, who's dated like every female coworker he's ever had..You like me but you're afraid of your ex finding out. You're also scared that I might want a relationship with you _and_ I should be worried that someone would think I slept my way into a job. Anything else?"

He opened his mouth but stopped himself from speaking, shaking his head instead.

"Awesome," she said dryly, feeling completely embarrassed. She had just thrown herself at a man who came to her room planning to 'let her down easy'. That wasn't embarrassing at all. "Well..it doesn't seem like there's much more to say here so…I have plans. I've gotta get going."

"Jordan-"

"Don't worry," she put up a hand. "Everything is crystal clear with us. I'll see you when I see you."

* * *

_1 Hour Later…12:00AM_

Jordan ran a hand through her hair, feeling like a complete and total idiot. Tom, the bartender, walked over, smiling at her, "You still doing okay, babe?"

She smiled and nodded, ignoring his penchant for calling her babe and staring at her chest. He had charged her card for the first drink when she sat down and didn't seem to have any intentions of charging her for any more. If he wanted to stare, he'd earned it.

Her phone beeped and she looked down at it, seeing a text from Phil.

_I'm sorry. I really didn't mean to upset you._

She laughed, typing a quick reply, _Not upset. No worries. See you tomorrow!_

After she sent it, she wondered if the exclamation point was too much. She wanted him to think she was fine but she didn't want him to think she was trying too hard. She put her head down on the bar, supremely disappointed in herself. The fact that she was considering the ramifications of an exclamation point meant she was already trying way too hard. Consuming more alcohol was probably not the best course of action at this point. Drunk dialing or texting wasn't far behind and that wasn't good for anyone.

"Tom, I think I'm gonna head out," she said, finishing off her glass. "You've been a real doll."

"Hey, before you head out I was wondering if maybe-"

"Goodnight Tom," she held up a hand, smiling sweetly. She didn't know where that was going but she was pretty sure she didn't want to. She pulled out enough cash for a really good tip and tossed it onto the bar. "Peace out buddy."

He waved at her and she turned around, unzipping her purse and looking for her room key. She started walking toward the door, making a mental note to put the room key in her wallet next time. She was pretty sure she found it and she opened her purse wider to get more light. She reached in to retrieve it and then felt herself smack into what she initially assumed was a wall. She took a step back and looked up to see a pair of blue eyes looking back at her.

"Oh my God I'm so sorry," she said, putting a hand over her mouth. She immediately recognized the one man wall. He looked bigger in person and it almost seemed strange not seeing him in some brightly colored t-shirt. He was wearing a plain blue t-shirt, jeans, and a Patriots hat. "You're John Cena."

"Last time I checked, yeah," he smiled. He looked around, seemingly checking to see if anyone else heard her declaration.

"I'm _really_ sorry about that, I was trying to find my room key," she smiled apologetically. "I'm also fantastic at running into things."

"I can tell," he laughed. "You had pretty good form there."

"It's a talent that's taken years to cultivate," she shrugged. "I was just on my way out so you don't have to worry about me mowing you down again. Have a good night."

She moved around him, heading for the door. She should probably have introduced herself but she had a little bit of a buzz and she didn't want to say anything weirder than she already had.

"Wait a minute," he said, following behind her.

She turned to face him.

"This isn't fair," he smiled. "You know me but I don't know you."

"About that," she laughed, running a hand through her hair. "We're actually supposed to meet in the morning."

He frowned and for a moment she was pretty sure he thought she was a crazy person but then a look of realization touched his face, "You're Jordan Wyatt."

"Last time I checked," she smirked, reaching out her hand. "Nice to meet you."

"You too," his much larger hand engulfed hers. "I listened to a few of your podcasts when I heard about your show. You're not a huge fan of mine, huh?"

Jordan's eyes widened and she could feel her cheeks getting warm, "Oh boy..I am..I'm sorry. I mean I've never said anything about you as a person it's just that..you seem…handcuffed a lot of the time. I just know that you could be a lot more awesome if you weren't stuck as…"

* * *

"Captain America?" John finished for her. She always referred to him as Captain America on her show. He didn't mind much though. She and the other host were funny and she obviously had a passion for the business. It was interesting to be able to put a face to the name. She wasn't quite what he'd expected. She was younger and considerably more attractive.

"You really do listen," she said, covering her eyes with her hand.

He laughed, reaching over and touching her wrist, guiding her hand down, "Don't worry about it. You're not the only person saying it. And I _liked_ your show."

"Well I think I should get out of here on that positive note," she laughed, tucking her hair behind her ears. "I'll see you in the morning."

John looked around the bar, seeing that the only people there were a couple of extremely inebriated businessmen and Tom, the borderline creepy bartender. John didn't want to spend the rest of his night with them but he needed a drink. He'd just gotten off of the phone with his wife Ashley after a marathon argument. He needed someone to talk to so he could get his mind off of it.

He followed Jordan to the door again, "Don't you think we should uh..do some pre interview stuff?"

"Pre interview stuff?" she smirked. "Where'd you get that super technical journalist term?"

He laughed, "You know, figure out what questions I will and won't answer, stuff like that."

"Is there anything you won't answer?" she asked.

He pulled out a chair at the nearest table, "You're gonna have to stay and find out."

"Okay but only if you place all of the orders with Tom," she laughed, sitting down. "He and I had kind of a rough breakup earlier."

_1:20 AM_

"So after waiting in line for like 6 hours, they finally let us start going to that little room you were in," Jordan explained. "And then when he saw you, he was so nervous he wouldn't even walk. I had to shove him up to the table."

John laughed as Jordan told him of the time she brought her young cousin to meet him at a signing in Schaumburg years earlier. He couldn't remember the day but she painted a pretty amusing picture of her day spent in line.

"Then this little girl behind me froze too and her mom asked me to take her to meet you so she could take a picture," Jordan continued. "You shook my hand so hard my thumb cracked. I thought you broke it. I considered threatening to sue."

"Sorry," he laughed, putting his hands up. "Sometimes I don't know my own strength. Did I at least apologize?"

"For hulk-smashing my hand? I don't think you even noticed," she laughed, reaching into their near empty bowl of popcorn. "It's alright, turns out you just cracked my knuckle. I may never shake your hand again though."

"We'll have to find some other way to greet each other," he laughed.

He noticed she smirked mischievously and realized how that statement could have come across.

"Sorry, you can't say things like that around me. My mind always goes to the most inappropriate possible place," she laughed. "It's a sophomoric radio host thing. There's a reason they don't let most of us on TV."

"I'll keep that in mind," he smiled. "Did your cousin at least have a good time?'

"Oh yeah, meeting you made his month," Jordan said. "He couldn't stop talking about it."

"Good," John smiled. "Is he still a fan?"

"Yeah," she nodded. "That kid's gonna be a Cena fan for life."

"You'll have to introduce me when we're in Chicago," he said.

"Really?" she gave him a surprised look. He noticed that almost every expression she made involved some form of a smirk. She looked perpetually pleased with something. Or maybe she was just having a good time.

"Yeah, really," he nodded. "You name the time and place."

"That would be awesome, thank you."

He shrugged, "No problem."

"You know, I have to say..you are remarkably genuine," she said.

He was surprised at the compliment, "Thank you. Are you trying to butter me up for tomorrow?"

She shrugged, "It's just an observation. I've always heard you're cool but you never know until you meet someone. I deal with so many athletes. I wish they were all so nice."

He was sure there were people who didn't share her opinion of him but he tried his best to be himself and he was glad it came across well to someone.

"Now that I've complimented you," she paused to yawn and then smiled at him sleepily. "I really have to go; you can't hold me hostage all night."

He looked down at his half empty beer and then back at her. He hadn't even realized it but upon checking his watch he saw that they'd been talking for more than an hour. He was getting pretty tired himself but he was having a good time. He hadn't thought about his fight with Ashley since they sat down.

"Come on, one more beer," he suggested. "I'll buy."

"Oh you're buying all of this," she gestured around the table. "You're the one that made me stay here."

He started to raise his hand for Tom but she laughed, grabbing his wrist and bringing it back down to the table, "No more beer. I have to be up early. I'm interviewing this guy in the morning, you may have heard of him."

"I've heard he's pretty awesome," John smirked. "Some might say _remarkably genuine_."

"Yeah but who knows? He might be really bitchy in the morning," she shrugged, standing up and pulling her purse onto her shoulder.

"I think he's a morning person," John laughed.

"Well I'm not when people hold me hostage in bars and don't let me go to sleep," she laughed.

She reached into her purse and he stopped her, "If you're looking for a wallet, I'm not gonna let you pay."

"Why not?"

He gave her a look and she rolled her eyes, taking her hand out of her purse, "I'm too tired to argue. This was fun. I'll see you bright and early tomorrow."

"Have a good night," he smiled, looking over his shoulder at her as she started walking away. She blew a kiss at Tom before she walked out the door and John looked over in time to see Tom pretend to catch it. He laughed, turning back to his beer. When he came down to the bar, he'd expected to get stuck with the bartender. He was glad she'd run into him.

* * *

Jordan walked through the lobby toward the elevator, smiling. She couldn't explain why but she couldn't stop smiling like an idiot. She supposed it probably had something to do with the fact that she'd spent the last hour drinking in an empty bar with John Cena. She wouldn't admit it to anyone, especially considering her current employment, but there had been a period a few years earlier where she thought John Cena was pretty much as sexy as it got. He certainly hadn't gotten any less attractive, she'd just sort of gotten over it. She certainly didn't think she'd ever have him trying to convince her to stay and have drinks with him in the middle of the night. She didn't think too much of it considering, as far as she knew, he was a happily married man who just didn't want to spend all night with creepy Tom. Still, it was fun and a nice distraction from her embarrassing little chat with Phil. She considered calling Arden to see if she was still awake but it was late and if she spent more time wandering around the hotel, there was no telling who else she would run into. She decided it was best to just cut her losses and go to bed. Her first night had been an eventful one; she didn't anticipate things slowing down from there.

* * *

**Chapter 12 Preview...**

**_Arden makes a new friend and a new enemy_**

**_Phil isn't sure he can stick to his guns_**

**_Jordan and Beth meet  
_**


	12. Chapter 12

**Sorry it took me forever to update but I once again have a double update for you! I haven't been feeling well lately so this may not be my best work but it'll get better, I promise! As always I hope you enjoy and please remember to review. It gives me so much more motivation to work on the story when I'm getting your awesome feedback. Thanks to those who have read, reviewed, and marked as a favorite. I really appreciate the support. As you know, I only own my OCs Jordan and Arden.  
**

**Chapter 12…**

"Look up at the ceiling."

Jordan looked up, trying not to flinch as Elena, the makeup artist, applied her mascara. She was dead ass tired and wishing that she didn't have to be up so early. She was going to have to make some changes to her sleeping schedule if she was going to get up at 5:00 A.M. She and Arden arrived at the arena together early to supervise setup and work with a couple of the WWE writers. After that, they ate breakfast and now they were waiting on their first interview: John Cena.

"I'm nervous," Arden said. Jordan could hear her heels as she paced.

"Why are you nervous?" Jordan laughed. "I'm not nervous."

"You're never nervous, you said so yourself," Arden said.

"And you've seen me nervous, so obviously that's not _totally_ true," Jordan reminded her. "Now sit down, woman."

Jordan heard voices in the hallway that seemed to be coming toward the room they were in. There was a light knock on the door and Arden called for whoever it was to come in.

"Good morning ladies."

She recognized John's voice but before she could respond to him, she felt a sharp, stabbing pain in her eye.

She yelped, leaning her head away, clapping a hand over her eye.

"Oh my God, I'm sorry," Elena cried.

When Jordan opened her good eye, she could see that Elena was trying to be concerned but she couldn't seem to keep her eyes off of John. She was practically mesmerized.

"Umm..ow?" she stared at the makeup artist.

"I'm sorry Jordan," she said, focusing on her. "I'll be right back, I have some eye drops to flush it out."

"Thanks," Jordan tried unsuccessfully to muster a smile. Her eye was still stinging like nobody's business. Elena rushed out of the room and Jordan made a mental note to tell Arden she wanted to do her own makeup.

"Are you okay?" John and Arden spoke in unison, both coming toward her.

"I'm okay," she laughed a little. "I've poked myself with a mascara wand before. Probably not quite _that_ hard but still.."

She removed her hand from her eye, jokingly glaring at John, "This is the second time I've gotten hurt in your presence."

"It wasn't my fault this time," he laughed, putting his hands up.

"Oh I'm pretty sure it was," Jordan laughed.

He smiled, looking almost embarrassed Jordan laughed, shaking her head, "Where are my manners? You two haven't met. John Cena, this is Arden Crosby, the best producer in the world."

"I don't know where she gets her information," Arden rolled her eyes.

"Nice to meet you," John offered her his hand.

"You too," Arden smiled. "I didn't know you two knew each other."

"We met yesterday," John explained. "She ran into me."

Jordan shrugged, "I did. How was Tom after I left? Was he sad?"

"Very," John nodded. "I really think you two should talk before we leave."

"Who exactly is Tom?" Arden asked.

"The bartender at the hotel. He's like a 9 on the scale of 1 to creeper but he makes a stiff drink," Jordan explained. She turned to John, "So what are you doing here so early? We don't have to start for another half hour."

"I always show up to these things early," John shrugged.

"You know they usually start late, right?" she smirked.

"Old habits I guess," he laughed.

"I'm sure we can just start early," Arden said. "We just need to get you both set up with microphones."

"I think I need a minute for my eye to clear up," Jordan said.

"I can go get miked up while you guys finish up in here," John said. "Just tell me where to go."

"We're gonna film in the ring so just head out there. The techs are there, they'll get you set up."

"Sounds like a plan, I'll see you in a few minutes," John said. He looked at Jordan with concern, "You sure that eye is okay?"

"Oh yeah, it's totally fine now," she gave him her best nonchalant wave.

When he left the room she turned to the mirror, opening her eyes wide, "Holy shit that hurts."

Fortunately for her and Elena, though her eye was still stinging it wasn't really that red.

Arden dramatically cleared her throat and Jordan looked at her friend's reflection in the mirror, "Yes dear?"

"Were you going to mention to me that you went drinking with John Cena last night?" Arden smiled.

"'_Went drinking_' implies that I intended for it to happen," Jordan said. "He wasn't joking, I literally _barreled_ into him."

"And you went from that to drinking together how?" the redhead inquired.

"I don't know, I guess it was his idea," Jordan shrugged. "We should get going. I'm not sure Elena's ever coming back."

Jordan stepped into her heels and started walking out the door quickly. She could hear Arden coming behind her.

"I feel like you're avoiding talking about this," Arden laughed, catching up to her.

"I'm not avoiding anything. It's not a big deal," Jordan shrugged.

"You're right," Arden said. "I'm sure it's not…Just one quick question: You said every female wrestling fan has a crush. Was John Cena ever one of yours?"

Jordan laughed, shaking her head, "Nope."

* * *

John looked up when he heard loud laughing and saw Jordan and Arden walking down the half-finished ramp. He noticed she looked a lot less buttoned up than the announcers and backstage interviewers, with the obvious exception of Jerry Lawler, usually did. She was wearing an Alabama Shakes t-shirt under a white blazer with the sleeves pushed up to her elbows, and a red skirt. Her hair was a mess of dark curls held away from her face with a red bandana headband.

"Mr. Cena, can you test your microphone?" the young man in front of him asked, drawing his attention.

He held up the small device clipped to his shirt, "Test, test."

"Okay thanks," the young man smiled.

When Jordan approached the ring she frowned, staring at the setup. There were two director style chairs, pretty far apart.

"What's wrong?" Arden asked.

"I don't like this," Jordan said. "The chairs are so far apart it looks like it'll take him an extra ten seconds to hear my questions. It feels..I don't know..impersonal."

"Well, what do you want to do?" one of the techs asked.

"How about we do it out there?" John suggested, gesturing to the arena full of empty seats.

The tech who'd just spoken didn't look too pleased but Jordan smiled brightly, "I like that idea."

"We'll have to change the lights," Angry Tech put his hands on his hips.

"Then that's what we have to do," Arden said authoritatively. "We're starting early so it won't put us behind."

"I can help," Jordan offered. "Just tell me what to do."

He softened a little at her offer and shrugged, "If you really want to help, just decide where you want to sit. We'll handle moving the lights."

"Any suggestions?" Jordan looked up at John.

He shrugged, "You're the boss."

After a few minutes, they decided on the first row of chairs so that the lights wouldn't have to be moved too far. John took a seat and Jordan moved the next chair over so they wouldn't be sitting right on top of each other. He saw a flash of anxiety pass across her face and she put her hands on her knees, tapping her heels on the ground. She didn't seem like a person who had many moments of self-doubt but he could see one threatening to come on.

"Hey," he said, reaching over and tapping her on the knee.

She looked up, "Yeah?"

"Don't be too hard on me, okay?" he smirked at her.

Her shoulders relaxed a bit and she smiled, "Didn't you hear? This is going to be a really in depth, expose type of a thing. Real Barbara Walters type stuff."

"Oh yeah? Are we gonna talk about my childhood?" he asked quietly, leaning closer to her.

"Only the bad parts," she whispered.

"Everybody ready?" Arden asked. "We've gotta get Mr. Cena out of here in an hour and a half.

Jordan sat up straight in her chair, "Ready when you are."

* * *

Cody Runnels walked down the hallways in the back of the US Airways Center, stifling a yawn. He was tired and not exactly pleased to have to come in and film this interview on what was supposed to be his day off. Unfortunately, he didn't have any choice in the matter. He was just going to have to get through it and then he could go back to the hotel and go to sleep. He was trailing behind a young man named Dylan, assistant to Arden Crosby, whoever that was. When they made it to the backstage area, Dylan started weaving in and out of the busy foot traffic. Cody had no idea where they were going or who they were looking for but soon he spotted two good looking women that he didn't recognize. Suddenly, his morning was looking up.

* * *

"I can't believe we're ahead of schedule," Jordan said, looking at the time on her phone. "I told you you're the best producer ever. Who else could have things run so smoothly on the first try?"

"I really could have used an ego boost like you for a friend when I was in high school," Arden smiled. Jordan never seemed to tire of complimenting her and she always seemed to genuinely mean what she said. She'd never had a friend like that before.

"Well we have plenty of time to make up for that," Jordan said. She looked around the area, her eyes stopping on something in the distance, "There's Dylan."

Arden looked down at the schedule on top of the file folder she held in her arms. Their next interview was Cody Rhodes. She looked up and when she saw Cody trailing behind Dylan, she got an intense dose of that butterfly feeling in her stomach. She prayed the heat she felt in her cheeks wasn't showing on the outside. When Jordan asked her before if there was anyone she was nervous to meet, his name was the one that she couldn't bring herself to say. And now he was walking toward them, looking even better than he did on TV. Before she knew what was happening, she heard the folder she was holding hit the floor.

She and Jordan both knelt to pick up the papers and Jordan looked concerned, "You okay?"

Arden looked back in Cody and Dylan's direction and then back at Jordan, unsure of what to say.

Jordan's eyes went wide and her mouth dropped open, "That's the guy isn't it?"

Arden gave her a stern look, holding a finger to her lips.

"He's not gonna hear me from all the way over there unless he's developed superpowers," Jordan said, making sure the papers were placed neatly in the folder and handing them back to Arden.

They stood back up and Jordan smiled, looking like a kid with a new toy, "I knew it wouldn't take long to figure out who it was."

"Okay, you know, just please don't say anything," Arden said, resisting the urge to cover her face.

"So you _don't_ want me to tell him you have the hots for him?" Jordan asked. "Because I was planning on opening with that."

Arden elbowed Jordan in the side, eliciting a loud laugh as the two men approached.

Dylan smiled, "Arden Crosby, Jordan Wyatt, this is-"

"Cody," he smiled, his eyes shining as he surveyed the two of them. He held his hand out to Jordan, "I've heard a lot about you. I hear the company's pretty excited about your show."

"I don't know about the company but I'm pretty excited about it," Jordan smiled. "It's very nice to meet you. I'm a fan of your work."

"You know I hear that a lot but it sounded particularly good coming from you," Cody's eyes travelled slowly over Jordan before turning to Arden. He offered her his hand as well, "And you're producing, right?"

She nodded, shaking his hand, "Yup."

Jordan looked over at Arden, obviously expecting her to say something else. Arden searched her brain for words but nothing seemed to be coming. She graduated college with a 3.9 GPA but she couldn't think of a single thing to say.

"Listen, if you need someone to help show you around, introduce you to everyone, I'd be happy to help," Cody offered Jordan.

Jordan's eyes shifted over to Arden and then back to Cody uncomfortably, "You know I'm actually good on that but thank you. Um..Arden could probably use the help though. She's gonna have to work with people a lot, scheduling filming and such. Right, Arden?"

Arden nodded, "Sure."

"Dylan," Jordan put a hand on his shoulder. "I need your help with something before we start shooting. Can you come with me please?"

Arden looked over at her friend, trying her best to beg her not to leave without saying a word. Jordan rushed away with Dylan, turning when she was behind Cody's back and making a talking gesture, then smiling brightly and pointing to her cheeks.

"You seem young to be producing your own show," Cody said, drawing her attention back to him.

She took a deep breath, inadvertently inhaling the scent of his cologne. It was a crisp, clean smell with the potential to be completely intoxicating.

She remembered Jordan's direction and spoke, "I'm 26. Old enough to do most things."

He raised an eyebrow and she could feel her cheeks growing red. She definitely didn't mean that the way it sounded. She looked down at the ground and noticed one of the papers from her folder hadn't made it back to its place. She bent down to pick it up and her glasses slid off of her nose, crashing to the ground on top of the paper. Without her glasses, her vision was blurry and she couldn't quite see where they were anymore. He knelt down beside her picking up the glasses and the paper and handing them both to her.

"Are you okay?" he laughed.

She put her glasses on, "Yeah I'm..I'm fine. We should um..we should get going. We have to get your microphone on and..make sure the lights are good."

"Lead the way," he gestured for her to walk ahead of him. She did, grateful that he couldn't see her face. It had to be a horrible shade of crimson by now.\

"So…just curious," Cody said, following her. "Is Jordan seeing anyone?"

Arden felt her stomach drop. She was falling all over herself because he'd come within 2 feet of her and here he was, asking about her friend. She couldn't let her disappointment show though. She shook her head, "No. Not that I know of."

* * *

Phil leaned against the wall, tossing up his half empty bottle of water with his right hand and catching it with the left. He looked up at the clock on the wall, seeing that he still had 20 minutes to kill. He and Layla were doing a signing at a bookstore and though they were both there and ready, they couldn't just start early. He could never figure out why no one ever wanted to let these things start a few minutes ahead of schedule.

The door opened and Layla walked back into the room. She'd stepped out a few minutes earlier to take a phone call. She smiled at him, sitting in a chair and crossing her legs. He and Layla weren't exactly best friends but they'd always gotten along relatively well. She'd been acting a little weird all morning though. She kept looking as if she was about to start a conversation with him but then she would shake her head, apparently deciding against it.

He looked over at her, catching her doing it again. She opened her mouth to speak but then closed it.

"Is there something you want to say Layla?" he asked.

"What? No," she shook her head. "Why?"

"You keep opening and closing your mouth like a fish," he shrugged. "Either you have something to say or you're having trouble breathing."

She laughed, "I'm sorry Punk. It's just…Look, Beth is really upset."

Phil sighed, looking up at the ceiling, "That's not exactly new. What now?"

"She told Nattie and I that she heard another woman in your room," Layla explained. "Did she?"

Phil frowned at her question, "I really don't understand how it's any of Beth's or your business. Why the hell does everyone in this company think that they have a right to know what anyone else is doing all the time?"

Layla put her hands up, defensively, "Okay, okay. Sorry I asked. You're right. It isn't my business."

Phil nodded.

Layla shrugged, "But you have to keep in mind, secrets don't stay secrets around here for very long."

* * *

"Okay, we'll start back up in 5 minutes," Arden announced before walking over to a monitor and talking to Jordan and two men Cody didn't know. She shook her head at something, making a face and then calling over one of the camera men. Cody noticed that as she pointed and spoke, the people around her hung on her every word. It was fascinating how different she seemed once she was working. When he first met her, she'd seemed so meek he'd barely noticed her next to Jordan. She was very pretty, with copper colored hair and big, bright green eyes behind her black framed glasses. He'd noticed that at first but now, watching her take charge of the production, he felt like he was looking at a different woman. She moved and spoke with ten times more confidence. She turned to look at something and he noticed that she had more curves than he initially thought. She looked in his direction and when she saw him staring, she looked confused for a moment before turning her attention back to Jordan. After a few minutes, Jordan came back and took her seat, smiling at Cody, "You ready to start again?"

He smiled, glancing over at Arden again, "Yeah I'm ready."

* * *

"So?" Jordan asked as she and Jordan started walking back to her dressing room. She wanted to touch up her makeup and hair quickly before they got started on her interview with Nick Nemeth.

"So what?" Arden asked.

Jordan rolled her eyes, "_So_ what did you and Cody talk about when Dylan and I left? Duh."

"Nothing really," she shook her head. "I just sort of fumbled around for a few minutes."

"Well he must have thought it was cute because he couldn't stop staring at you when we were filming," Jordan smiled, nudging her.

Arden looked confused, shaking her head, "I thought he was too."

"Okay, then why do you look all weirded out?"

"Have you ever gotten worked up to meet someone and then once you do…it's kind of a letdown?" Arden asked.

"Once or twice," Jordan admitted. "What did he do?"

"He asked about you," Arden explained. "For a second there, I honestly thought he was going to ask me to hook you up."

Jordan made a face, "Really? He was barely paying any attention to me once we started."

"I know," Arden laughed. "It's really, really weird."

"Don't worry Ginge," Jordan said. "Cody may not have been what you expected but you still have plenty of other options to choose from."

* * *

"If you were a girl, which one of us would you marry?"

Phil shook his head at the question Bryan posed to Stu as they stepped off of the elevator. They were on their way to grab something to eat and they'd been discussing Phil and Bryan's angle with AJ. Both men were having a lot of fun with the angle. Bryan's only qualm was that he felt the writers were making it seem as if Punk was the overwhelmingly obvious choice.

"I would marry you Bryan, in a heartbeat," Stu said drily, pulling his rental car keys out of his pocket.

"Hey," Phil pushed his friend's shoulder. "What the hell? You wouldn't even _think_ about it?"

"See, I told you," Bryan pointed triumphantly.

"I wouldn't have to think about it," Stu shrugged. "Bryan's an overall easier person to deal with. You're _very_ moody sometimes. And you're an insomniac. I like my sleep."

"Thank you," Bryan smiled.

"I think you're making the wrong decision," Phil insisted.

He spotted Stephen Farrelly coming into the lobby. He looked like he'd just come from the gym. He waved him over.

"Hey," Stephen said when he reached the group.

"Which one of us would you marry?" Bryan asked, looking arrogant.

Phil rolled his eyes.

"Say again?" Stephen laughed, confused.

"They want to know which one of them you would marry," Stu smirked. "_Hypothetically_, of course."

Stephen looked back and forth between the two of them and then shrugged, "Bryan, I suppose."

"_Yes_!" Bryan pumped his fist like a golfer after a hole in one.

"_What_?!" Phil stared.

Stephen shrugged, playfully patting Phil on the shoulder, "I'm a _big_ cuddler. You don't strike me as the type who'd like to spoon."

Phil put his hands on his hips, shaking his head, "You people are crazy."

He was looking around for help from no one in particular when he spotted Jordan walking into the hotel her arm linked with the redhead from the picture she'd tweeted. She was laughing at something that the redhead said. Jordan stopped when she saw him, causing the other woman to trip a little.

"I'll be right back."

"Where are you going?" Bryan asked.

Phil wasn't sure whether or not he wanted to answer but he didn't have time to make a decision. Bryan followed Phil's eye line and then smiled, "That's Jordan isn't it?"

"Who's Jordan?" Stephen asked, confused.

"Come with us," Stu said. "Phil's about to introduce us."

"Phil is not about to introduce you," Phil scratched his chin.

"Oh I think you are," Stu smiled, nodding in the direction of the women. They were starting to walk away.

"Ladies," Stu called. They stopped, turning around, the redhead looking especially confused.

Phil glared at his friend and Stu shrugged, smiling, "We're gonna meet her eventually. Might as well get it out of the way now."

Sighing deeply, Phil led his friends to where Jordan and her friend were standing, near the elevator banks. He had a feeling he might regret this.

* * *

Stu watched Jordan's eyes as they approached. She eyed Phil with some apprehension but smiled warmly as they got close. Her friend looked confused but welcoming.

"Hey," Phil said as they approached, waving. Stu could tell by his friend's body language that he felt stupid immediately after doing it.

"Hi," Jordan said, raising her eyebrows in amusement and waving back the same way.

"I uh.." Phil scratched behind his right ear. "I wanted you to meet a few of my friends since we're all going to be working together. Jordan this is Stu, Bryan, and Stephen. Guys this is Jordan and…I'm sorry, I don't know your name."

"Arden Crosby. I'm producing Jordan's show," the redhead smiled. She shook hands with all of them and then looked over at Jordan, "I didn't know that you knew him."

"Did I not mention that?" Jordan put on a confused look. Phil looked surprised and Stu rubbed a hand over his face to hide his amusement. Phil was a dear friend but he'd gotten himself into this situation and Stu didn't feel guilty for enjoying it.

"We've heard a lot about you," Bryan smiled, shaking Jordan's hand and then Arden's.

"Have you?" Jordan looked directly at Phil.

"All wonderful things," Stu offered his hand.

"Well at least it's all wonderful, right?" Jordan's smile was just the slightest bit tense.

"I haven't heard anything about you from Phil here but I did hear about your show," Stephen offered, shaking both of their hands. "It's very nice to meet you both."

"Thank you," Arden smiled.

"Can I ask you a question?" Bryan asked.

"Of course," Jordan shrugged.

Phil glared at him and Stu shook his head. There were few things in the world that Bryan loved more than being proven right. He couldn't settle for having Stu and Stephen on his side. He wanted to win by a landslide.

"If given the choice, which one of us would you marry?" Bryan asked, gesturing between the two of them.

"That's an odd first question to ask someone," Arden laughed.

"You'll find that he's full of odd questions," Stu advised.

"We need female opinions on this," Bryan smiled.

"We really, really don't," Phil shook his head, feeling as close to embarrassed as he had in a long time.

"Now, now," Stu said, stifling a smirk. "Let the ladies answer if they choose to."

"I don't think I can," Arden smiled apologetically.

"Well, Bryan is my favorite wrestler," Jordan winked at Phil. "I think I have to go with him."

"I _like_ her," Bryan smiled, triumphant.

"Him?" Phil laughed, moving a little closer to her, almost possessively. "_He's_ the guy you kept putting me behind?"

She shrugged with one shoulder, giving him a cheeky smile before turning to the others, "Gentlemen, it was really lovely meeting you all but we have a _ton_ of work to do before we hit the hay so if you'll excuse us.."

"Nice meeting you," Bryan waved. Stephen nodded in agreement.

"We'll see you at the show tomorrow, yeah?" Stu asked.

"We'll be there with bells on," Jordan answered. She looked over at Phil who was clearly trying not to seem tense. "See you tomorrow."

Phil waved again and the women turned, walking away. His eyes were glued to Jordan and Stu heard him take a deep breath. She looked at him over her shoulder as they waited for their elevator. When she caught him staring, she blew him a quick kiss before turning her attention back to Arden.

"Something tells me you're in trouble my friend," Stu patted him on the shoulder.

Phil sighed, "I think you may be right."

* * *

"Damn it," Arden shuffled through her suitcase, frowning. She couldn't find her laptop charger anywhere. She hadn't really used it all day because she was using Jordan's. Racking her brain for the last time she saw it, she finally remembered that it was in the trunk of the rental car. It was late and she wasn't totally thrilled at the idea of going outside by herself but she didn't want to bother Jordan and she wouldn't have to go far. She stepped into a pair of flip flops, grabbed the car keys and her room key and headed downstairs. It was surprisingly cool outside and she hugged herself as she walked to the car, cursing her decision to park so far. She popped the trunk and was leaning inside searching when she heard voices not far away.

"I'm sorry to bother you but..do you think you could help me with my bag?" she heard a woman's voice.

"Of course. It's no bother."

Arden recognized the other voice as Cody's. She peeked around the edge of the open trunk and saw him smiling at a young brunette woman. She looked up at him as if he'd just offered her the moon.

"Thanks so much," she smiled. "I really need to learn to pack light."

"Don't all women?" Cody laughed.

"Probably, yeah," she laughed. "I'm Laurel. I'm in town visiting a friend."

"Cody," he introduced himself. "I'm here for work."

"Oh yeah, what do you do?"

This girl could play dumb all she wanted but Arden didn't believe for a moment that she didn't know who Cody was. She could tell by the way she looked up at Cody. Cody either didn't notice or didn't care.

"I'm a wrestler," he explained.

"Like WWE wrestling?" she asked, trying way too hard to sound nonchalant.

"Yeah," he answered. "You look a little cold. We should probably head inside."

"Of course," she nodded, gazing adoringly at him. "You're right."

"Would you wanna grab a drink with me?" Cody asked.

Arden rolled her eyes. Was there any woman this guy _wasn't_ interested in?

"Sure, why not?"

"Alright, let's go."

Arden didn't know why she was still watching. This was absolutely none of her business. She couldn't seem to stop though. When Cody turned, walking toward the hotel, the Laurel silently clapped her hands as if she'd just won a prize. Arden shook her head, reaching into the back of the trunk and grabbing her charger. She closed the trunk, pushing her glasses up on her nose and walked back toward the hotel, keeping her pace slow so she didn't catch up too quickly to Cody and his new friend.

Almost an hour later, Arden rubbed her eyes, tired after staring at her computer for so much of the day. She'd sent her notes to the editors after she and Jordan reviewed the day's footage and now she was finishing up an email to Bob and listening to Green Day. Once her email was sent, she leaned back against the wall, deciding to let Redundant finish playing before she turned it off. She jumped when she felt something hit the other side of the wall. Pulling her headphones out, she listened for it again. She frowned when she heard an insistent, rhythmic knocking against the wall.

"Oh God no," she put her hands over her face, shaking her head. "Please no."

She was tired after an incredibly long day at a new job and she was _not_ in any way, shape, or form in the mood to hear some couple having dirty hotel sex.

"Oh God!" she heard a woman moaning.

"Eww," she stared at the wall.

"Fuck! Cody!"

"Seriously?" she stared. She debated pounding on the wall and yelling for them to shut up but she was pretty sure that wouldn't have the desired effect. Instead she put her headphones back in her ears, cranked her music up loudly, and turned off the light. She scooted her pillow down so that she wouldn't feel the vibrations of Cody and Parking Lot Girl and then pulled the covers over her head, hoping sleep would come quickly.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13…**

_Sunday…_

Arden tapped her pen against her clipboard, looking around and growing mildly frustrated. Vince had requested that Jordan do some fan interviews outside to add a live element to the pre-show and Arden couldn't have been happier about that but setup was not going the way she wanted it to. They had an area set up but the lighting rigs weren't exactly the way she wanted and despite the fact that she'd pointed it out, no one seemed to have any intentions of changing it. Now the crew was inside eating before they started filming and Jordan was getting her makeup done so she was left alone, frowning at the incorrect setup. She thought back to what Bob had continually told her when they first started developing the show. He told her that she was the boss and if she had to get her hands dirty to get things done right, then she should.

Taking her mentor's words to heart, she put her clipboard down and moved one of the ladders where she needed it.

* * *

Stephen waved to a group of fans on the other side of the fence as he pulled his bag out of his trunk and hoisted it up onto his shoulder. It always made him smile to see how early people would line up just to get a glimpse of them on their way into the building. It was an indescribable feeling to have such an effect on people. He was on his way in when he happened to glance over at one of the other entrances and saw a woman standing up on a ladder under a lighting rig. He could tell, even from the distance that the heels she was wearing were at least 5 inches. She stepped up onto the next rung and her foot slipped a little. Stephen dropped his bag, rushing over as quickly as he could. When he reached her, he wrapped an arm around her waist, eliciting a sharp yelp from her as he pulled her away from the ladder.

"Don't worry lass, you're alright," he said. She turned around, her hand pressed to her chest, big green eyes wide and frightened. He immediately recognized her from the night before and she seemed to relax a fraction when she recognized him.

"Arden, right?" he asked.

She nodded, "Give me just a moment to recover from my possibly broken ribs."

"Sorry, you looked like you were in a rather precarious position," he laughed. He reached toward her, concerned when he saw her wince, "I didn't really hurt you, did I?"

"You knocked a little wind out of me," she admitted, smiling. "But I'll survive."

"Maybe next time take those skyscrapers off before you climb a ladder," he smiled. "I thought for sure you were about to take a tumble and break something."

"Actually, I can do just about anything in these," she laughed, looking down at the brown leather shoes. "They're very comfortable."

"I'll take your word for it," he laughed. "So what are you setting up for out here?"

"Jordan's gonna film some live segments with some of the fans out here before the show starts," Arden explained. "We're gonna get started in about an hour."

"Sounds like a good time," he smiled. "Now why don't you tell me what needs doing and I'll take care of it for you?"

"Oh you don't have to-"

He put up a hand to stop her, "It's against my religion to let a woman in such fancy shoes perform any manual labor."

She laughed, her nose crinkling, "You seem oddly fascinated with my shoes."

He chuckled, climbing up the ladder, "What now boss?"

"Can you just angle that light a little more to your left?" she smiled bashfully at him.

"Like that?" he moved the light she'd indicated.

"Tiny bit more."

He moved it again and looked down at her. She smiled, giving him a thumbs up, "That's perfect."

"Anything else while I'm up here?" he asked.

"You could move that boom mic to the left a little too if you want," she shrugged.

"If I want," he laughed, doing as she asked and looking down for approval.

"You're _fantastic_, thank you so much," she smiled.

"Careful now," he laughed as he climbed down. "I take compliments very seriously."

"Really, you didn't have to do that," she said. "I could _probably_ get in trouble for even letting you."

"Probably," he smiled. "It'll be our secret. I better be going, I've got to meet up with Alberto. Good luck with everything."

"Thanks again."

"Anytime," he assured her, turning to walk away.

He walked back to the talent entrance, picking up his bag and casting another glance her way. She was talking to a few men in event security shirts. When she saw him looking she waved, smiling brightly and he waved back. He had a feeling he was going to like working with her.

* * *

Jordan walked out of her dressing room, smiling from ear to ear. Elena hadn't stabbed her in the eye this time so getting ready for the show had gone a lot smoother than the previous day. On top of that, she'd just looked at Twitter and was surprised to see that her brother had recruited most of his team and quite a few other players around the league to tell their followers to watch the show. She sent him a text, thanking him for being the best little brother in the world and then slipped her phone into her pocket. The crew would be done with their lunch break soon and she and Arden still had a few things to go over. She walked through the backstage area, still feeling a little strange for being there. On a normal pay-per view Sunday she, Jason, and Matt would be at the bar by Matt's house that had all of the WWE's pay per views with no cover taking notes for the podcast and drinking beer. She certainly never imagined herself walking around backstage at an arena, getting ready for her own part in the show. It was surreal but in a pretty wonderful way.

"Jordan!"

She stopped when she heard her name called and turned around until she spotted the source. John was standing with The Miz. She'd heard a rumor that he was coming back that night now that he was done filming the next Marine movie. John waved for her to come over and she did, "Hello."

"Jordan this is Mike Mizanin," John introduced. "Mike, Jordan."

"Nice to meet you," she smiled, shaking his hand. She wondered how many more stiff handshakes she was going to have to endure before she'd met everyone. Her knuckles were taking a beating the last few days.

"You too," Mike said. "We were just talking about you."

Jordan raised an eyebrow, looking over at John.

"I was just telling him about your show," John explained.

"It sounds like it's gonna be interesting," Mike said. He looked at his watch and gave Jordan an apologetic look, "I gotta go. I'll talk to you guys later."

"Bye," she waved as he rushed away. Once he was gone, Jordan turned to John, "Talkin' me up, huh?"

"I might have been, yes," he laughed. "That was one of the more fun interviews I've done in a long time."

"I do what I can," she shrugged. She'd been asked to make her line of questioning somewhat broad where John was concerned in case they wanted to use some of the footage for DVD projects down the line. After they talked about his participation in the Money in the Bank match, they talked about his feelings about working with The Rock and Brock Lesnar. They talked a little about his family. She even asked if he still did music in his free time. When he said that he did but not very often, she suggested that he do a freestyle. His response was that he didn't have any music and in turn, she did some horrible beat boxing which he rapped over, both of them struggling to fight off hysterical laughter. "I'm glad you had fun."

"I heard you're doing some live stuff with the fans tonight," he said.

"Yeah, just some quick segments to cut into the pre show," she shrugged. "It should be fun."

"Just be careful," he advised. "They can get a little intense sometimes."

"They have no idea who I am, I doubt they're gonna get too excitable," Jordan laughed. "But thanks for the warning."

"Anytime," he shrugged. "I gotta look out for my new drinking buddy. You know you owe me one more beer, right?"

"Just let me know when you're going, I'm down," she shrugged. "But I'm still not paying."

"And why not?" he laughed.

"Because _you_ invited _me_," she said. "When _I_ invite _you_, then I'll pay."

* * *

Phil rolled his shoulders and cracked his neck, exiting his locker room and walking into the open production area. He was already dressed for his match even though he had quite a while before he, Bryan, and AJ were on. Bryan was off in search of food again and Stu was in a meeting so he was off in search of Kofi. He hadn't talked to his good friend much in the last few days and the need to make fun of him was becoming overwhelming. He was walking to the other set of locker rooms where Kofi's was when he spotted something unexpected. Jordan and John Cena were standing together near some equipment trunks, laughing. He walked over, curious to see what they were talking about. He could never quite figure out what his relationship was with John. They got along relatively well and even joked around and hung out from time to time. But deep down, Phil never really felt like he could trust John. Despite how cool he seemed sometimes, he was still Vince McMahon's golden goose and a big player in backstage politics. Even with the new power he'd gained after his pipe bomb promo, he couldn't fully involve himself in that stuff. It just wasn't his scene.

John noticed him before he could do any real snooping and nodded to him, "Hey man. What's up?"

"Not too much," Phil shrugged. "Just waiting for this thing to get started."

"Aren't we all?" John laughed.

Phil looked over at Jordan who smiled at him. She looked fantastic in a WWE In Your House t-shirt and black shorts that rode low on her hips, giving him a glimpse of her flat stomach. He rubbed the back of his neck, clearing his throat.

"My bad, have you met Jordan?" John asked, placing his hand on her arm when he said her name.

"Yeah, we've met," Phil said, stepping closer to her. "We're good friends actually."

"Oh yeah?" John looked a little surprised. "I should've figured."

"Can I talk to you for a minute?" he asked her.

"Yeah, sure," Jordan shrugged. She looked at John, "I'll see you later?"

"Yeah, of course," he waved. "I should probably go get ready. Remember what I said when you're outside."

"I will," she assured him. Phil wondered what they were talking about but didn't push, gesturing for Jordan to go ahead of him, "After you."

She started walking toward the locker rooms and he followed closely behind her.

"You're not coming to ask me to reconsider my choice from last night, are you?" she smirked. "I can't be swayed on this."

"I can't believe you picked Bryan," he laughed, shaking his head. "You did that to mess with me, right?"

"Maybe, maybe not," she shrugged. "You'll never know."

"I think I know," he smiled and she looked away, biting her lip.

"Right, because of course I wanna marry _you_," she quipped, turning her face to his again. "That's why I'm here, right?"

"That's not what I said," he reminded her. He wished he'd thought harder about what he wanted to say to her the day before. Things could have gone a lot smoother if he had a script in his head. "Look, Jordan, I really want us to be friends."

"We are," she insisted quickly. "Why wouldn't we be?"

"You weren't exactly thrilled with me when I said we should just be friends," he reminded her.

"I'm fine," she said. "And you were right anyway. No big deal."

"So we're okay?" he offered his hand.

She gave him a firm handshake, trying not to laugh, "We're good."

"Good," he said, holding on to her hand.

"Let go, weirdo," she laughed.

He smiled, "Make me."

* * *

Beth pulled her headphones out of her ears, slowing her pace down the hall when she saw Phil. He was laughing and holding hands with a young woman Beth didn't recognize. The woman tried to pull her hand away but Phil held onto it. She said something and Phil smiled deviously at her, pulling her closer to him. She turned around, effectively wrapping Phil's arm around her, his chest against her back. They both laughed loudly and Beth felt her teeth grinding. Unable to stand and watch any more, she continued in their direction. She cleared her throat loudly and they both stopped moving, looking like deer caught in the headlights.

He finally let go of her hand and they separated. The woman looked a little sheepish while Phil looked plain uncomfortable.

"Hey Beth," Phil offered.

Beth looked back and forth between them, stopping on her, "Who's this?"

"Jordan Wyatt," she smiled, offering her hand. Beth shook it quickly. It was still warm from Phil's. His hands were always warm.

Beth was surprised when she recognized the name, "I heard about your show. You started yesterday, right?"

"Yeah," Jordan nodded.

"How do you two know each other?" Beth asked, gesturing between them.

"He came on my show a few times," Jordan answered.

"So you're from Chicago?" Beth asked, interest piqued.

"Born and raised," she nodded.

Beth crossed her arms over her chest, thinking back to her conversation with Stu and Bryan. They said that Phil was seeing someone from his hometown and these two certainly seemed pretty chummy before she interrupted them. She turned her attention to Phil, trying to read his expression. He looked indifferent but she knew better.

"Well isn't that convenient?" Beth smiled. "You make friends with a girl and then she gets a job here."

Jordan looked offended, "Wait a minute I-"

"I was talking to Phil," Beth put up a hand.

"And I'm talking to you," Jordan didn't seem to be intimidated. "If you're implying that there's something going on between us, you're wrong. Phil had _nothing_ to do with my getting a job here. Please leave me out of your drama."

"I would leave you out of it if I actually believed you weren't already a part of it," Beth sneered.

"Beth, you're out of line here," Phil said. "And you don't know what you're talking about."

"I think I do," Beth challenged him.

"Well you're wrong," Jordan said. "And I don't have time for this, I have work to do. Phil, I'll talk to you later."

Jordan walked away without even casting another glance at Beth. It agitated her further but she kept her attention on Phil.

"So that's her?"

Phil rolled his eyes, "What are you talking about?"

"You know exactly what I'm talking about," she glared.

"She's a _friend_, that's all," he sighed.

"And I'm supposed to believe that? When you were all over her before I walked up?" Beth asked.

He shook his head, "Believe whatever you want Beth. What you think is none of my business anymore."

* * *

Cody walked into the catering area, looking around for Arden. He'd just asked Dylan where he could find her and the young man informed him that she was having lunch. It didn't take long to find her; he spotted her silky red hair right away. She was sitting at a table alone, her eyes trained on a laptop in front of her. She had a fruit salad sitting next to her that looked like it hadn't been touched. He couldn't quite put his finger on what was so intriguing about her but when he was at the gym that morning; he kept finding himself thinking about her. He'd completely forgotten about Jordan but he couldn't get Arden off of his mind. She was pretty in a graceful, delicate way. His normally went for the loud, almost obnoxious, center of attention type. Arden was quiet and soft and he couldn't tell if she was being shy or aloof or a combination of the two. Something in his gut told him it would be fun to find out which was right.

She was wearing an emerald green short sleeved dress and with the way she was sitting, the slim skirt had ridden up to mid thigh, showing off a great pair of legs. Her hair was smoothed back into a ponytail and she wore very little makeup, if any. She didn't need it. Cody rolled his shoulders and headed her way. Staring at her wasn't going to get him anywhere; it would probably be more productive to talk to her.

He pulled out the chair across from her, sliding into it and smiling, "Hey there."

* * *

Arden nearly jumped out of her skin, a high pitched squeak escaping her when she heard Cody's voice. Her laptop slipped off of her lap from the jarring movement and she frantically reached down to grab it before it crashed to the ground. In the process of trying to catch it, she nearly turned her chair over and ended up hunched over, balancing on her thin Burberry heels, trying not to tip backward and fall on her backside. Cody came around to her side of the table, looking amused. His warm hand touched her elbow and she could feel a flush creeping up her neck. He and Parking Lot Laurel had kept her up half the night.

"I didn't mean to scare you," he chuckled, taking the laptop with one hand and gently pulling her up with the other.

"Thanks," she avoided his eyes as he set the computer down next to her food. "I'm sorry, I didn't see you coming."

"I guess I must have been more stealth than I intended," he shrugged.

Arden fixed her chair and smoothed her skirt. She looked up at Cody, who was watching her intently, "Did you need something?"

"Oh, right, sorry," he laughed.

She sat down, checking her laptop to make sure she hadn't just deleted the editing work she just did, "What's up?"

"I was wondering when you'd like to go out to dinner with me," he said.

At first Arden wasn't sure she'd heard him correctly but when she turned to his handsome face and was met with a self-satisfied smirk she realized that he definitely meant it the way he said it. Her first instinct was to laugh but she held it in. She couldn't even think of a word to describe his approach. _Appalling_, maybe that was a good one.

She gave him a polite smile and shook her head, "I'm sorry, I can't."

Cody looked at her as if she'd grown a second head, "You _can't_? Why not?"

Arden looked down at her computer again, unsure of how to answer that. He was clearly a man with an ego the size of Texas so she didn't want to offend him but, after meeting him, she had no interest whatsoever in going on a date with him.

"I just can't," she shrugged, shutting down the computer. She had a feeling she might have to be the one to walk away from this conversation.

"I got that part Arden," he said, his tone condescending. "I want to know _why_."

Arden felt her right eyebrow twitch just slightly. There were many behaviors that she could tolerate. She'd dealt with lots of different people in her life. But she _hated_ condescension. Working with Nate, she'd dealt with a lot of it. She didn't have to anymore though. She was her own boss.

"Because I don't want to," she said, mimicking his tone. "You're not my type."

He looked amused, "I'm not your type? How would you know? You just met me."

"Well..I know that I don't go out with guys who hit on my friends right in front of me," she squared her shoulders. "I also don't date guys who sleep with random girls they meet in _parking lots_."

He opened his mouth to speak but she continued, "And I _especially_ don't date someone who doesn't even know how to _ask_."

"I did ask!" he said defensively. "And how the hell do you know about the girl from the parking lot? Were you following me?"

He was smirking again and it served no purpose other than poking Arden's fire.

"I couldn't be less interested in following you," she crossing her arms over her chest. "And you asked me _when_ I want to go out with you, not _if_.

"Well I assumed you were going to say yes," he threw up his hands, looking dismayed. "Why wouldn't you?"

"I think I've already told you why," she said. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have some work to finish."

She sat back in her seat, remembering once she did that she'd shut down her computer. It didn't matter, she had ended the conversation on her terms and that was what mattered. She sat up straight, pressing the button to turn her computer back on, smiling when she caught his reflection in the monitor. He still looked shocked.

After a few moments, she heard him turn to walk away. Before he was too far though, she heard him mumbling under his breath, "Bitch."

* * *

_11 PM_

Beth sat on the couch in her room, half listening to the TV. She'd just answered a few emails from friends and family and now she was just playing around on Twitter, retweeting fans' messages of support. They all thought she was underused and she wholeheartedly agreed. She should have been defending the Divas Championship at every pay per view but instead, for Money in the Bank, she was on the losing end of a 6 Diva tag team match that had lasted less than 4 minutes. She was hearing rumors that there was talk of her getting a push again but she would believe that when she saw it. She sometimes wondered if her failed relationship with Phil was to blame for her declining push. Despite his flaws, she knew Phil would never bury her but their issues were common knowledge and Vince wanted to keep Phil happy. Maybe that was why his new little friend Jordan had popped up. As she surveyed the website in front of her, her eye was drawn to the search button. She typed _Jordan Wyatt_ into the search and the results popped up quickly. She selected the top result with the handle _DJJazzyJo_. The background was a picture of Soldier Field. Beth scrolled down, finding herself laughing at a few of Jordan's tweets from the show in spite of herself. She scrolled further down, seeing that she'd posted a picture a few days earlier with the caption 'Fresh to Death'. After clicking on the link, Beth laughed out loud when she saw a picture of Jordan and Colt. She was wearing a gigantic New York Jets jersey, a baseball cap turned sideways, and a thick gold chain. Colt wore a Chicago Bulls starter jacket that was clearly too small for him, his hat turned the other way, and a pair of gold framed Ray Bans. They both had their arms crossed over their chests, making angry faces at the camera. The first comment under the picture was from Colt: _Damn I look sexy. You, however, look ridiculous_

Jordan's response was _I love it when you wear my clothes_

Beth raised an eyebrow, going through more old tweets. She was confused at what she saw. Jordan and Phil had tweeted each other a few times but _Colt_ and Jordan seemed to have a lot more interaction. She looked at Colt's page and he was pretty active earlier that night:

_Be sure to watch DJJazzyJo on the MITB pre show tonight. She's mediocre at best..but very pretty_

About a minute later Jordan tweeted _ ColtCabana Aww you think I'm pretty_

The more Beth looked, the more she felt like a total asshole. She'd confronted Phil and been completely rude to Jordan and, from the looks of it, they were telling her the truth. If anything was going on, it seemed to be between Jordan and Colt. She sighed, resting back against the couch. She was going to have some damage control to do the next day.

* * *

"You were phenomenal," Harry Cartwright gushed to his daughter.

Jordan smiled, holding the phone with her shoulder so she could press the button for the elevator, "You already said that Dad."

"Well I'm gonna say it again because you were phenomenal," Harry laughed.

"Thanks Dad," she said. "Arden and I were looking at Twitter during the show, I had about 2,000 new followers 30 minutes in. And only like 100 tweets about how much I suck."

"That's not a bad percentage," Harry chuckled.

"That's what I said," she fished her room key out of her purse. "Although I haven't checked again in a while. It may have swung the other way by now. How's Bourbonnais? You guys ready for camp?"

"You asking as my daughter or as a member of the media?"

"Mostly as your daughter," she laughed. As a coach, her father had to be careful about what he let slip to her. She would never betray her father's trust for professional gain, or her brother's for that matter. But it never bothered her that they were careful. They stood to lose their jobs if the wrong information got out.

"We're getting there," Harry sighed. "I saw some tapes of Dex's workouts with Sharper. Last week he was working out with Patrick Peterson and his brother down in Florida. He looks like he's gonna break some records this year."

"Good for him," Jordan said, She heard footsteps coming toward her and when she turned, she saw Phil approaching, carrying his gym bag and looking tired. She felt the same tingle of electricity she always did when she saw him. She was really going to have to find some way to counter that. Maybe she'd start wearing a rubber band around her wrist and snap herself every time her body reacted to him.

"I'm sorry if I put you in an awkward position with what happened with us," she focused her attention on her conversation.

"I'm not in an awkward position at all," Harry insisted. "As a player, I think Dex is a phenom and worth the risk. I nearly cried tears of joy when we got him. As a _person_, I would prefer that he not come within a mile of my daughter ever again."

Jordan smiled, shaking her head. Her father had never made any secret of his issue with Jordan seeing Dex. It was one of the few things they'd ever argued about. She wasn't sure he was being completely honest about how awkward it was for him though. No matter how he treated Dex as a player, people could assume it had something to do with her.

"Listen sweetheart, I gotta go, I'm getting another call," Harry said.

"Okay, I'll talk to you in the morning," she said, smiling at Phil as he stood next to her. "Bye Pops."

"Bye honey."

"That was your dad?" Phil laughed. "You should've let me talk to him."

"He had to go," she smiled apologetically. "Someday."

"I'm gonna hold you to that," he pointed as the elevator finally arrived.

"I feel like I should be disturbed by how fascinated you are with my dad," she laughed.

"Name a person in Chicago that doesn't love Harry Cartwright," he suggested.

Her father had been the greatest linebacker in Chicago since Dick Butkus and after retiring from the sport, became the Bears' Linebacker's coach, eventually being promoted to Defensive Coordinator. Most of the city had been calling for him to be promoted to head coach for the last few years. Even Chicagoans who weren't huge football fans knew who he was due to the large amount of charity work he did in the city.

"Point taken," she nodded, pressing the button for her floor. She noticed he didn't press anything, "You on the same floor?"

"Room 410," he nodded.

"424," she waved her key. They stepped off of the elevator when it stopped, going in the same direction.

"I'll walk you," he offered.

"Thanks," she smiled. "So..You had a great match tonight."

"You think so?" he asked.

"I do," she nodded. "You and Bryan work so well together. I could watch you guys all day."

"If you say '_especially Bryan_' I will rescind my offer to walk you," he warned her.

"Damn it," she snapped her fingers. "You don't let me have any fun."

"You looked like you were having plenty of fun tonight," he said. "When they showed you in the crowd, that cheesy smile, it was _classic_."

Jordan blushed, shaking her head. Right after the World Heavyweight Championship match, they cut to Jordan, whose seat was just behind the Spanish announce table. She hadn't known it was coming at all and she was in the middle of finishing her beer. She could hear Booker, Lawler, and Cole talking about her and, not knowing what else to do she just smiled and waved, pointing to her empty cup and making a face, "Did I look totally stupid?"

"You looked adorable," he assured her. "I could tell you and Arden were having a great time."

"We did," she said as they reached her door. "This first couple of days has gone so well I don't know what to do with myself."

"Yeah, I've heard nothing but good things about you," he said.

"Even from Beth?" she raised an eyebrow.

"With the _exception_ of Beth," he laughed. "Everyone seems to like you. AJ thinks you're gonna be great friends."

"She was impressed by my sizeable comic book knowledge. If she loved shoe shopping as much as me and Arden, things could get scary," Jordan laughed. "How's your back?"

He'd taken quite a few stiff shots with a kendo stick during his match. She noticed afterward when he was celebrating that his lower back was an angry red.

"Pretty sore but I'll live," he shrugged.

She leaned her shoulder against the door to her room, looking up at him, "I'm so wired, I don't know how I'm gonna get any sleep tonight."

* * *

Phil clenched his jaw, immediately affected by the coy smile she gave him. This time he wasn't sure if she was trying to get to him or not. It didn't matter. She was not going to make this easy on him.

She laughed, batting her thick lashes, "I'm sorry. I'm a little tired. I didn't mean for that to seem like an invitation."

He looked at her full lips and then dragged his eyes back to hers, "You sure?"

She nodded, "Positive. We're just friends, right?"

Phil took a deep breath, marveling at how quickly tension and electricity seemed to fill the air between them. He really had intended on walking her to her room and then going right back to his to crash. He was tired and sore but the more he looked at her, the more awake he felt.

"Right," he nodded slowly, forcing his eyes to stay on hers and not all over her body. "Just friends."

"Right," she smiled. She moved forward, pressing a very soft kiss on his cheek, right by the corner of his mouth, her hand on his chest. She hovered there, "Have a good night."

Without thinking he turned, capturing her mouth with his. The kiss was gentle at first but when she parted her lips, welcoming his tongue, he felt his grip on his last remaining shred of control slipping away. Her hands gripped his shoulders and one of his tangled in her hair while the other took her room key out of her hand.

He unlocked the door, pushing it open roughly and backing her inside.

"Wait a minute," she spoke against his lips, pulling out of his grasp. "Hold on."

She leaned her head out the door, looking back and forth.

"What are you doing?" he asked, impatiently reaching for her.

"Oh I was just looking out for Beth," she jested.

"Come here," he laughed, grabbing the hem of her shirt and pulling her back inside.

He turned her around and dipped his head to kiss her again but she leaned away, "You do remember telling me that we should stop doing this, right?"

He nodded, "I do remember that, yes. That doesn't really sound like that great of an idea at the moment."

She narrowed her eyes at him and he smiled at her.

"We are gonna have a talk about this tomorrow," she pointed.

"Absolutely," he agreed, kissing her softly again. "We'll talk tomorrow.'

He lifted her up and she wrapped her legs around him, moaning as he pressed her back against the wall. She pulled up the bottom of her shirt and he reluctantly broke the kiss, drinking in the sight of her as she pulled it off.

She smiled down at him, "You're lucky I like you."

He nodded, kissing her neck, "I'm very lucky."

* * *

**Hope you all enjoyed the update! Here's a preview for the next one...**

**Jordan and Phil make a decision**

**Beth confuses Jordan when she tries to make peace**

**Arden and Cody have a tense confrontation**

**John's wife Ashley comes to visit  
**


	14. Chapter 14

**A thousand apologies for the how long it took to update. Life got in the way, work is super busy and my friends decided my birthday needed to be celebrated for an entire week so that was a bit rough. I want to thank you all for your kind reviews, I appreciate them so much and they genuinely help the writing process along. I love knowing what you think, the feedback keeps me motivated. I wanted to get something posted so no double update this time but the next chapter is half done and will be up hopefully today or tomorrow. I had planned on two chapters at once though so the last part of the preview will get pushed to chapter 15. Hope you enjoy the update and please keep the reviews coming!  
**

**Chapter 14…**

Phil opened his eyes slowly, reluctantly allowing himself to wake up. He was exhausted and he could tell without looking that his back had bruised some during the night. In spite of that, he was indescribably comfortable. Jordan was curled up beside him, her head resting on his right shoulder, her body radiating warmth. At some point in the night, she'd gotten up and put on a t-shirt. He wasn't surprised. He could be a bit of a blanket hog. He looked down at her sleeping face, deciding at that moment that he definitely liked her best without any makeup. She looked beautiful.

"You know it's weird to watch people sleep, right?" she said sleepily, her eyes still closed.

"It's weird to pretend to be asleep when you're not," he countered, mussing her dark hair.

"I wasn't pretending," she said, sitting up slowly. "Just happened to wake up for a moment and catch you. What time is it?"

"No clue," he shook his head. He didn't really care honestly, he just wanted to go back to sleep.

She reached across him to grab her phone from the nightstand, "6 o'clock. I am not supposed to be awake right now."

"Shit, I am," he said, running a hand over his face and sitting up. "I have a radio interview in an hour."

"Sucks to be you," she made a face.

"Jerk," he said, reaching over and tugging a piece of her hair.

She stuck her tongue out at him and he laughed, leaning back against the headboard. He had no idea what he was doing with her. He wished he knew exactly what she wanted; maybe it would help him figure out what he did.

"I should probably go," he said. "I gotta leave for this thing in a half hour and I still need to take a shower."

"Okay," she said, running a hand through her unruly hair. Some of the curls refused to go where she directed them and he reached forward, brushing them away from her face. She leaned slightly into his touch and he moved his hand to the back of her neck, pulling her closer, capturing her lips with his. He intended for the kiss to be a quick one but when their lips touched, he found himself unable, or unwilling, to let her go right away. Their kiss deepened and he laid down, pulling her with him. She moaned as he pulled her leg, guiding her so that she straddled him.

"I thought you had to go," she pulled away, smiling down at him.

He shrugged, "I can stay a little longer."

* * *

Arden struggled to balance her coffee in one hand and the tea she brought for Jordan in the other. Her laptop bag was weighing her shoulder down, throwing her off a bit. They were both checking out early to make their flight to Vegas for Raw. She rounded the corner toward Jordan's room, slowing when she saw her friend's door open. She was about to ask for help with the drinks when Phil walked out of the room. His hair was all over the place and he was wearing the same clothes as the last time she saw him, leaving the arena the night before. He didn't seem to notice her and he turned, walking in the opposite direction. She knew Jordan and Phil knew each other but she had no idea they were close enough to be spending the night in each other's rooms. She finished her trek to Jordan's door and used her foot to tap against it. Jordan opened the door in a large Bears t-shirt. Her dark curls were more unruly than Arden could ever remember seeing them and she looked very tired.

"Hey Ginge," she said, her voice raspy. "What are you doing here?"

"We're supposed to be leaving in a few minutes, Sunshine," Arden said, handing over her tea.

"We are?" Jordan squinted, taking a sip of the tea. The warm liquid seemed to wake her up as her eyes opened wide, "Oh shit. I totally forgot we were leaving early."

"I can see that," Arden laughed, coming into the room and closing the door behind her. She took a sip of her coffee before asking, "Long night?"

"No not really," Jordan said, drinking more of her tea, not quite meeting Arden's gaze. "I'm still getting used to the different sleeping schedule, that's all."

In that moment, Arden learned something new about her friend. She was not a very good liar. At least not when she'd just woken up. Jordan pulled her suitcase up onto the bed and opened it, pulling out a pair of shorts and a t-shirt.

"So you just had a..boring night?" Arden asked.

Jordan nodded, her back still to Arden as she fished a bra out of her bag, "How about you? Did Cody get any more parking lot ass?"

"If he did I didn't have to hear it," Arden beamed proudly. "I almost forgot, I didn't tell you about what happened when he asked me out."

"He asked you out?" Jordan was fully awake now. "Why is this the first I'm hearing about it?"

"Come on, take your shower. I'll take your bags to the car," Arden offered, knowing they really needed to get moving. "I'll tell you the whole story on the way there."

* * *

Stephen tossed his gym bag into the trunk of his rental and slammed it shut. He'd just come back from the gym and he wanted to get an hour or so of sleep in before he had to be at the airport. He pulled his baseball cap lower on his forehead to shield his eyes from the bright sun and headed into the hotel. As he passed through the lobby, nearing the elevators, he heard a grunting noise that almost sounded like a frustrated child. When the source came into view, he couldn't help but laugh. Arden was in front of an elevator, struggling to pull out an extremely large suitcase while the door repeatedly tried to close on it. She looked more casual than the first couple of times he'd seen her, wearing white short sleeved shirt and blue shorts. He shook his head when he looked at her feet and saw another pair of 5 inch heels, this pair the same cobalt blue as her shorts.

He walked over to help her, "I thought we had a talk about these shoes."

She jumped when she heard his voice but smiled when she saw him, letting go of the bag's handle, "I realized this morning that I forgot to pack flats."

"Looks like you've got the wheel caught," he said, lifting the bag, pulling the wheel out of the door's track and allowing it to close.

"Thank you," she smiled gratefully.

"Feels like you're smuggling Hornswoggle in this thing," he smirked, noticing the heft of the bag.

"That's Jordan's," Arden explained. "Those are mine."

She pointed to two bags behind her. They were about the same size as the one he was holding.

"All of that and you didn't pack one pair of flat shoes?" he laughed. "I'll never understand women."

She looked like she wanted to get defensive but then she shrugged, laughing, "I'll pack much smarter next time. It's gonna take me a while to get used to this. The first thing I'm doing when I get to Vegas is buying a pair of gym shoes and flip flops."

"Probably a good idea," he smiled. "Now, where you headed?"

"Oh I can take it from here," she insisted. "I was just going to put these in the car."

"Come on," he grabbed one of her other bags, nodding toward the front doors. "You can get the other one."

"You really don't have to-"

"I'm already carrying them," he smiled at her. "Let's go lass."

She laughed, picking up the other bag and leading the way to her car, "You're gonna have to stop helping me so much. I might get used to it."

He turned to her after loading in the bags, "You can always let me know if you need help."

She smiled up at him, holding a hand up to block the sun, "I'll keep that in mind."

* * *

_12:00 P.M._

"Thank you," Arden smiled at the hotel clerk as he handed over the room keys. She pulled her suitcase behind her, walking over to Jordan. "All set."

"Let's roll," Jordan said, heading toward the elevators.

Arden bit her lip, trying to figure out what to do. She hadn't mentioned what she saw that morning to Jordan yet but her curiosity was killing her. She didn't want to overstep the bounds of their friendship. She was still getting used to this whole 'girlfriends' thing.

When they got on the elevator, she decided to just bite the bullet, "So..I wasn't gonna say anything about this but I just have to ask…Why was Phil coming out of your room this morning?"

Jordan nearly choked on the sip of water she'd just taken. She twisted the cap onto the bottle and turned to Arden, "You saw him?"

She nodded, "Are you guys dating?"

"No," Jordan answered as they exited the elevator. "We're not dating. We're just friends."

Arden eyed her suspiciously as they walked toward their room.

"Friends who have sex from time to time," Jordan continued.

Arden felt her mouth drop open. She'd suspected something was going on when she saw him but the confirmation was still a bit of a surprise, "Since when? You never mentioned this."

"It hasn't happened that many times," Jordan answered. "And we said we weren't going to anymore."

"That's obviously going well for you guys," Arden laughed, opening the door to their room. They both went inside and set down their bags, plopping down on their respective beds.

"I know," Jordan shook her head. "I thought we were done and then last night he walked me to my room and…one thing led to another. I have no idea what's going on now."

"Do you know what you want?" Arden asked, kicking off her heels. "I mean, do you think you're even ready for a relationship after your last one?"

Jordan laughed, "Sometimes I forget you haven't actually _met_ Dex. Trust me; he's almost shockingly easy to get over."

"You didn't answer my first question..do you know what you want?"

Jordan rolled over onto her stomach, propping herself up on her elbows, an almost shy smile touching her face, "I like him a lot…And I do think I could be ready for a relationship but…I don't know if he is."

Arden didn't really know what advice to give. Her one major relationship had been pretty disastrous and the more casual ones she'd had weren't exactly learning experiences. She shrugged, "Have you told him how much you like him?"

"I think he knows," Jordan sighed, rolling back onto her back. "Maybe. I don't know."

Arden couldn't help but smile. It was rare to see Jordan vulnerable. She was always so sure of herself.

"Well, I think you should make it clear," Arden said. "Just tell him how you feel. It can't hurt."

* * *

Stu walked into the locker room, sighing deeply. This was yet another Raw that he was told to show up for and then informed at the last minute that his return had been delayed. He was getting more frustrated by the day. His arm felt fine, he was in the best shape of his life. He just wanted to get back to work. He dropped his bag onto the floor, nodding to Cody, Nick, and Ted.

"You're full of shit," Nick pointed at Cody.

"It's the truth," Cody said emphatically. "She was all over me."

"I believe him," Ted said. "I saw her checking him out."

"Yeah but she just doesn't look like the type to put out like that," Nick shook his head. "She's..I don't know.._timid_ I guess."

"She wasn't last night," Cody smiled, pulling a t-shirt out of his bag.

Stu frowned, wondering who they were talking about. Cody loved to share stories of his conquests with the entire locker room and Stu tended not to believe half of them. Anyone who actually got laid that much didn't need to talk about it as often as he did.

"Whatever you say man," Nick shrugged, still looking unconvinced. He usually seemed to buy into Cody's bull so his disbelief made Stu even more curious.

"Who are you guys talking about?" he asked.

"The new girl," Nick said.

"Jordan?" Stu laughed. Now he definitely knew it wasn't true.

"No," Cody shook his head. "Her friend. Arden."

* * *

"So Thursday night, we're doing the afternoon show. Then right after that, we're going to the theater and they're playing Batman Begins, then The Dark Knight. The Dark Knight Rises will start at midnight," Jordan excitedly explained her plans with Jason, Colt, and Arden to AJ.

"Okay I'm seriously jealous," AJ tried to glare at her. "I have a ridiculously early flight Friday morning and then media all day so I can't go see it until Friday night."

"I couldn't skip out if I wanted to," Jordan laughed. "Jason and I saw the first two movies together at midnight. If I didn't go for the third, he would kill me."

"I would kill you too," AJ laughed. Something over Jordan's shoulder caught her eye and she smiled, waving, "Hi Beth."

Jordan suppressed the urge to groan when she heard the other woman's name. She turned, prepared for another confrontation but to her surprise, Beth's expression was much softer than the last time she saw her.

"Hi Jordan," the blonde smiled.

"Hey," Jordan said, feeling extremely awkward, especially with AJ sitting next to her, completely oblivious.

"I just wanted to apologize to you for the way I acted," Beth said, sounding sincere.

Jordan raised an eyebrow, "You're apologizing? Why?"

"Because I realized that I was wrong," Beth sighed, seeming a bit embarrassed. "I was totally out of line. I should know better than to accuse another woman of getting a job that way."

Jordan could see AJ's confused and curious expression out of the corner of her eye. She wished Beth had decided to give her grand mea culpa in private. She couldn't blame AJ though. She probably wouldn't have walked away if the situation were reversed.

"What brought this on?" Jordan asked.

"You and Colt," she admitted, laughing.

Jordan wondered if the look on her face properly conveyed her confusion.

"I saw you guys on Twitter and I realized that I was clearly wrong," Beth said.

"Because Colt and I are…" Jordan wanted Beth to finish her sentence so she could be sure of what the other woman was implying.

"Dating," Beth said. "I got to know Colt when Phil and I were together. He's a really great guy."

Jordan just nodded, completely confused as to what was going on.

"Listen, I have to run but hopefully we can talk later," Beth said.

Beth walked away and Jordan stared after her, wide eyed.

She was jarred out of her stupor when AJ playfully slapped her on the arm, "You're going out with Colt? I didn't know that."

"Neither did I," Jordan said, shaking her head. "Last time I checked I wasn't."

"Then what's she talking about?"

Jordan shrugged, "Got me."

* * *

Arden speared her salad with her fork, reading an email from Bob. He was thrilled with how the pre-show had gone and congratulating her and Jordan on their work. She smiled, opening a reply email to thank him. Before she could start typing, she heard loud laughter and looked up to see Eve and Layla looking over at her. When they saw her looking, they quickly turned away, talking in hushed tones. Arden sighed deeply, frowning. She couldn't explain why but she'd had the strangest feeling that people were staring at her all afternoon. It was probably just because they were wondering who the hell she was but it was unnerving. She was accustom to going relatively unnoticed, flying under the radar. She hadn't heard girls snickering behind her back since high school. She tried to shake it off and turned her attention back to her Blackberry when once again she was interrupted. She heard footsteps coming in her direction, stopping directly behind her. She looked over her shoulder, smiling when she saw Stu.

"Hello," she said, putting down her phone.

"May I?" he gestured to the seat across from her.

She nodded, "Be my guest."

He wore a grave expression and she grew concerned, "Is everything alright?"

"Well.." he sighed, leaning on his elbows. "Listen, you and I don't know each other at all but I'm going to tell you something because I feel like it's the right thing to do."

"O..kay," she frowned, confused. "What is it?"

"Before I say anything, I just have to warn you, I don't do well with emotional women," he said. "So if you get upset, I apologize if I'm not overly comforting. It isn't really my way."

"Is it your way to be vague and ominous?" she asked. "Because you're freaking me out a bit."

"There's been..a _rumor_ going 'round," Stu said, looking uncomfortable.

"Oh no," Arden sighed. "Is this about Jordan and Phil? Because it's not true, whatever you've heard."

She knew Jordan didn't want that information getting out and she wasn't about to tell anyone.

Amusement touched his face for a moment as he shook his head, "No it's not that. Although, I admire your devotion to your friend. I'm afraid it's about you actually."

"_Me_?" she laughed. "Who would start a rumor about me?"

* * *

Jordan knocked on the door to Phil's dressing room, crossing her arms while she waited for a response.

"Come on in," he called after a few seconds. Jordan walked in, closing the door and watching his back as he pulled a t-shirt on. This would be a good time for that rubber band. She whistled at him and he turned around, smiling when he saw her.

"So…were you a stop on Beth's apology tour too or was that just me?" she asked.

"She apologized to you?" he asked, perplexed. "Why?"

"Well that answers my question," she laughed. "Beth apologized to me because she realized that you and I are nothing more than friends."

"And what brought her to this realization?"

"My relationship with Colt," Jordan said, biting her lip to keep from laughing. The idea was just so ridiculous she couldn't help it.

"Your _what_?" Phil stared.

"Apparently Beth thinks Colt and I are banging it out," Jordan tapped her fists together to emphasize her point.

"You and _Colt_?" he said, hazel eyes wide. "Colt Cabana AKA Matt Classic?"

"Scotty Goldman himself," she shrugged. "She said something about reading tweets and realizing that we were obviously together. I don't know. It didn't make sense to me and AJ was sitting next to me so I didn't want to go too far into it."

Phil laughed, obviously entertained.

"You know, I actually feel bad," Jordan said, sitting in a folding chair. "I mean, I know we don't want Beth to think we're.._whatever_ we are but I don't want to bring someone else into it to make our lie more believable. Especially not Colt. I'm gonna have to tell her that she's wrong."

"Can I _please_ be the one to tell Colt about your secret relationship?" he smirked.

"No promises," she shook a finger at him. "Whoever talks to him first tells him."

"Deal," he agreed.

Jordan looked down at her hands, unsure of what to say next. She wanted to have the talk they said they would but she didn't want to seem needy by bringing it up. He pulled his chair over next to hers, sitting down beside her. The scent of his soap filled her nostrils and she held her breath for a moment, enjoying the smell of him.

"I can practically see the gears grinding in there," he said, pointing at her head. He tucked her hair behind her ear and her skin tingled where his skin touched her, "Talk to me."

"I don't really know what to say," she admitted. "And that is _extremely_ rare for me so..enjoy it while it lasts."

"I like listening to what you have to say," he said, his shoulder touching hers.

"That's good to know," she smiled. She took a deep breath, trying to be serious. She absolutely hated talking about her feelings or anything in that wheelhouse. In fact, she avoided it at all costs but in this instance, she knew she was going to have to.

"So.." she rested her elbows on her knees. "Last night was..unexpected."

Phil nodded, "I swear I really was just trying to walk you to your room."

"I believe you," she said. "It's not all your fault. We seem to have a problem staying away from each other."

"You could say that," he laughed.

She looked down at her legs and then over at him, "What are we gonna do about that?"

* * *

Phil looked into Jordan's eyes, trying to figure out the best way to say what he wanted to.

"Jordan I like you," he said. "I like spending time with you."

She nodded, looking down at her hands, "I feel like there's a 'but' coming."

He meant what he said. He liked her a lot. He knew that from the moment he met her. She was right though, he wasn't done.

"I just think that you and I aren't ready for anything too serious," he admitted. "You just got out of a relationship you've been in since high school. You saw firsthand that things are still pretty tense between me and Beth."

"I'm getting this strange sense of déjà vu," she stopped him. "You gave me reasons that we should just be friends my first night here. But then last night, you kissed me. So I'm confused."

"So am I," he said honestly. "I want to be friends and when I'm not around you, I think I can handle that. Then I _see_ you and all bets are off."

"But you don't want a relationship with me," she suggested.

"I don't want a relationship with _anyone_," he corrected. "And I don't think you do either."

"Oh you think you can read my mind now?" she smirked.

"I wish," he laughed. "What _do_ you want?"

"I would be fine keeping things the way they are," she shrugged. "We're adults. We like each other. It doesn't have to be anything serious. I have my life, you have yours. Sometimes they intertwine…In bed."

He laughed, shaking his head.

"And out of bed sometimes," she laughed. "Whatever."

"You are an interesting woman," he said. "I've never had someone suggest being friends with benefits before."

"That's not what I'm suggesting," she said. "There doesn't have to be a label. We do whatever we want and it's nobody's business but ours."

"And you think that would work?" he asked.

She shrugged, smiling, "Why wouldn't it?"

* * *

Arden could feel her neck getting hot as she stomped toward the dressing room where Stu told her she would find Cody. She pushed the door open, rushing inside. She was immediately met with the sight of a naked Nick Nemeth. He had his back to her, in the process of wrapping a towel around his waist.

"Oh my God," she put up a hand up so she wouldn't see any more. "I am so sorry."

"No worries," he laughed. "I assume you're looking for Cody."

"I am," she answered.

"He ran to get his new trunks from wardrobe," Nick explained. "He should be back any minute. You're welcome to wait."

"Thank you," she said as politely as she could. "I'm so sorry for walking in on you. I usually knock before I enter a room. I'm just a little frazzled today and-."

"It's fine."

She felt his hand gently guide her wrist down and she turned, seeing that he was wearing a pair of basketball shorts. With most of his lower half covered, she was able to refocus her energy on her rage, "I take it you've heard what he's saying about me."

"Yeah but I didn't buy it," he shrugged, running a hand over his platinum blonde hair. "And I can tell by the way you came in here guns blazing that it isn't true."

"Good," she smiled. "Thank you."

"No problem," he shrugged. "Cody's usually full of shit."

He pulled a pair of boots out of his bag, "I've gotta run."

He walked toward the door, looking out. He looked over his shoulder at her, "Here he comes. Give him hell."

Cody frowned as Nick passed him looking amused. He wasn't a teenage girl or a gossip columnist so he never used the term 'frenemy' but if there was a single word that could describe their relationship that was it. They were compared to each other often throughout their careers but as of late, the company seemed to be behind Nick, hence his Money in the Bank win. He shook off his annoyance, walking into the locker room. He stopped short when he saw Arden there. She had her hands on her hips and he could practically see fire coming out of her ears. Her cheeks were as red as her was not going to be good.

"Hey," he smiled, hoping there was some way he could charm himself out of this.

"Hey?" she stared. "_Hey_?"

"You seem a little upset," he said, putting his trunks down by his bag. "Is everything alright?"

"Let me ask you something Cody," she narrowed her green eyes. "Have you _always_ been delusional or is this a _new_ development in your life?"

"What?" he laughed but inside he could feel himself growing tense.

"You told people we had sex," Arden said through clenched teeth. "How dare you?"

"How do you know I'm the one who said it?" he asked.

"Why would anyone else make that up?"

"Why would I?" he asked.

"Because I turned you down," she said. "And you obviously take rejection like a _child_."

"Look, it's not like I was devastated because you said no," he argued.

"I didn't say you were but you did walk away calling me a bitch so you obviously weren't happy," she said. "And now I hear about some _completely fictitious_ night that we had together. Where else could that have come from?"

"Does it matter?" he asked.

"It matters to me!" she said. "I just got here. I don't know any of these people! And now they think I'm just another parking lot groupie."

"Is it really necessary to keep bringing up the parking lot thing?" he asked angrily.

"Yes!" she snipped. "Because it's _ridiculous_! Almost as ridiculous as the idea that _I_ would ever sleep with _you_!"

"Something tells me the idea of you sleeping with anyone is ridiculous," he glared. "Cold fish usually don't get laid."

She looked like she'd been slapped in the face and he could immediately see he'd hit a nerve. He didn't feel guilty though. She was the one who made the conversation hostile, not him.

She walked closer to him, pointing angrily in his face, "You are going to tell everyone you _lied_ to that I _never_ slept with you."

* * *

**Preview for Chapter 15...**

**John's wife Ashley comes to visit**

**Jordan and Arden are given more responsibility**

**Phil and Beth have a heart to heart**


	15. Chapter 15

**Okay everyone, as usual thank you for reviewing, setting an alert for the story, etc. As you know, I really appreciate the feedback. To make up for the lack of double update last time, here's a nice long chapter for you. Hope you enjoy! Please remember to review!  
**

**Chapter 15…**

_Thursday_

Colt looked up when he heard a loud whistle. He was relieved when he saw Jordan, Jason, and Arden. Trying to fight off a bunch of Batman fans and hold 3 extra seats was a lofty task.

Arden was the first up the steps and took the seat on Colt's left.

"Hey there," he smiled at the pretty redhead. "Is it still Crosby or should I start calling you Mrs. Rhodes?"

Arden's mouth gaped open and she glared at Jordan, "You told him!"

"I didn't say a word," Jordan put her hands up.

"Ryder told me," Colt laughed. "He also said you threatened to cut Cody's balls off."

"I did not!" Arden squeaked.

"She didn't," Jordan agreed. "But I will if he keeps messing with her."

He looked up at Jordan, "Hey lady."

"Hey there love bug," she laughed, sitting on his knee and wrapping her arms around his neck.

He put a hand on her forehead and then looked over at Jason, "Did she bump her head on the way here?"

"No," she laughed, moving to sit in the seat on Colt's right. "But according to Beth, you and I are bumping other body parts."

"_What_?" Colt stared, confused.

"Beth was Twitter-stalking Jordan and got the impression that you two are an item," Arden said, barely containing her amusement.

"That's just..weird," Colt shook his head. He thought of Jordan as one of the guys. She just happened to be a pretty one. Even if he did think of her differently, there was no way he could go there. Even if Phil couldn't figure out what the hell he wanted, Colt knew that it was Jordan. The whole idea was just strange. "Why would she even think that? Did you correct her?"

"I was sort of stunned stupid when she said it to be honest. Then she just walked away before I could recover," Jordan said. "I haven't had a chance to talk to her since."

"Well somebody better set her straight," Colt said. "How am I gonna flirt with any of the divas if they all think I'm your boyfriend? I don't wanna get a bad rep like Arden."

Colt laughed when Arden elbowed him in the side. He turned to her, putting his arm over her shoulders, "In all seriousness, Cody is a dick. I'm sorry you're dealing with that."

Arden sighed, "You and me both."

* * *

Beth walked down the hall, hands tucked into her pockets, trying to psych herself up. When she reached the right room, she took a deep breath and then knocked before she could lose her nerve. Almost a full minute later, she was about to knock again when the door opened. Phil stood in front of her in sweatpants and a Cubs t-shirt. His hair was a mess, a sure sign that he'd been sleeping. She immediately felt guilty for bothering him. Sleep did not come easily for him.

"Hey," he sleepily rubbed the side of his head, his eyes heavy lidded. "What's up?"

"I'm sorry," she apologized. "I didn't mean to wake you."

"What's done is done," he shrugged. "No big deal. Did you need something?"

"I wanted to talk to you about Jordan," she answered. "I want to apologize."

"For what?" he asked.

"For snapping at you, for accusing you of sleeping with her," she explained. "I was just jealous when it looked like you were flirting with her…I hate to admit it but..I don't like the thought of you with someone else. I didn't like seeing you touching her."

"Beth, we were just playing around," he said. "You can't get upset any time you see me within 2 feet of a woman."

"I know I shouldn't," Beth said. "And I don't want to…But I'm sorry Phil, I can't help it. I was in love with you. _You_ dumped _me_. You may not have feelings for me anymore but that doesn't mean I lost all feeling for you."

"_You_ are the one who wouldn't speak to me after we broke up," he reminded her.

"Because I was hurt," she insisted. Thinking about how she felt when their relationship ended made the backs of her eyes start to sting. She felt like she cried for days straight. She thought they were going to be together forever and finding out that he didn't feel the same was a blow she was not prepared for.

"And I'm sorry about that," he said. "I told you that then. I didn't want to hurt you but things weren't working between us and you know that just as well as I do. That's what I don't get. We were fighting constantly. You were down my throat about _everything_. It was like trying to be in a relationship with someone who hated me. It doesn't make sense to me that you care what I do now."

"I know," she nodded, moving her hands to her back pockets. "I know it doesn't make sense. I know you think I'm crazy."

"I never said that," he pointed.

"I just miss you," she shrugged. "I don't want to but I do. I know things can never be what they were, I get that but…I miss it."

She felt the tears start to flow and she ran a hand through her hair, trying to calm herself. Phil surprised her by reaching out and pulling her into a gentle hug.

"It's okay," he said, his voice soothing. "It's okay."

* * *

Jordan struggled to keep her eyes open, stifling a yawn. Batman Begins had just ended and she still had two movies to get through. She loved The Dark Knight and had watched it more times than she could count but she wasn't totally sure she'd be able to stay awake through the whole thing. She took her glasses off, rubbing her tired eyes.

"You okay there lady?" Colt looked over at her.

"Yeah, I'm fine, just tired," she explained, putting her glasses back on so she could see his face clearly.

"She got roped into going in to work early and helping the interns run the morning and the mid-day shows before we started ours," Jason explained.

"The morning show that starts at _5A.M._?" Colt asked.

"With a pre-show meeting at 4," Jordan nodded, fighting off another yawn.

"So you've been up since, what, 3 o'clock this morning?" Colt asked. "And the new movie isn't gonna end until almost 3."

"Sounds about right, yeah," Jordan confirmed. She wasn't going to bother saying that the next day she had an 8 A.M. interview scheduled with notorious media hater, Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher. After that, she was scheduled for a phone interview at 11 with Packers cornerback Charles Woodson. Both interviews were for another Sports Illustrated article that was due in a week. She wasn't a coffee drinker and she usually didn't drink anything heavily caffeinated but she was going to have to load up on some artificial energy.

"If you pass out, just don't drool on me," Jason laughed.

"Jerk," she slapped him on the arm.

She looked over at Colt and he shrugged, "I guess you can drool on me if you really need to."

* * *

_Saturday…_

Jordan plopped down on the bed in her new hotel room, unlocking her phone. She'd left it off during the ride from the airport to the hotel because she forgot to charge it before she and Arden got on the plane. It had charged while she was in the shower and all of her text messages and emails were coming through. The most recent email was from Arden's assistant Dylan, detailing her schedule for the next day. Arden got a call on Friday explaining that Vince was so happy with the way things were going so far that while they were waiting for the network launch, they wanted to give Jordan as much work as possible. They'd come up with an idea for a series of videos to appear on the WWE's YouTube channel. Vince wanted to call it Lunch with a Legend. The premise was pretty much what the name suggested. Jordan would have a sit down interview over lunch with a series of WWE legends. Since there would be so many in town for Raw 1000, Jordan was scheduled to film 8 episodes over the next two days. Fortunately, she didn't actually have to eat every time. She felt herself smiling from ear to ear as she read through the list.

Sunday

_9:00AM: Bob Backlund_

_11:00AM: Trish Stratus, Lita, and Mae Young_

_2:00PM: DDP_

_4:00PM: DX (Minus Shawn and Triple H)_

Monday

_9:00AM: Roddy Piper_

_11:00AM: Mick Foley_

_2PM: Shawn Michaels_

She couldn't believe that this was actually her job. She remembered this feeling from when she first started working as a reporter for The Score. It was almost too lucky to be able to sit and talk to people she'd watched since she was a little kid and get paid for it. Her phone beeped and she switched from her emails to her text messages. The first message was from Phil.

_Heard you have a busy couple days ahead. Any time for me?_

Jordan sat back against the headboard, biting her lip as she stared at the message. It was just a text, it shouldn't have triggered that stupid, girly fluttering in her stomach but it did. She typed a response, _I can try to find some. Did you hear I get to meet another one of your exes tomorrow? Hopefully this one won't try to take my head off._

The response came quickly, _Which one?_

_Amy_ she replied. _Ho-bag._

_Me or her? Either way, Amy's cool. We're still friends._

_You, obviously_ she replied. _What are you doing right now?_

_On my way to dinner with some of the guys. You?_

Jordan, Arden, and Dylan had plans to hang out with AJ and Eve in about an hour. She told him her plans, unwrapping the towel she had around her hair.

_Maybe we'll run into each other,_ he replied. _Be good._

_Aren't I always?_

* * *

Arden zipped her pink Proenza Schouler IPad case, tossing it onto the bed. She felt like she'd been working nonstop for the last 24 hours getting everything set up for the Lunch with a Legend tapings. She was glad when AJ asked them to come out. She could use a glass of wine. She heard knocking at the door and walked over, opening it to let Dylan in. She still needed to put her shoes on and do something with her hair. She had her back to the door when she heard him speak.

"You look nice."

She tensed, recognizing the voice. It definitely didn't belong to Dylan.

* * *

Cody walked into the room, surprised that Arden had let him in so easily. He was half expecting a slap across the face. She walked away from the door so quickly he wasn't even sure she saw him. She was standing with her hands on her hips and she seemed to be looking for something. She looked less buttoned up than he was used to in a loose black tank top tucked into a yellow silk skirt with a black belt.

"You look nice," he said, leaning against the doorjamb.

She turned around, her green eyes narrowed, "What are you doing here?"

"Hey boss, sorry I'm running a little late."

Cody looked over his shoulder, seeing Dylan walk past him into the room. He did a double take when he realized Cody was there.

"Is everything okay?" Dylan asked, looking back and forth between them.

"Everything's great," Arden said. "Cody was just leaving."

Dylan looked relieved.

"Actually, I'd really like to talk to you," Cody said. He looked at the other man, "Would you excuse us for just a few minutes?"

"I don't remember saying I want to be alone with you," Arden frowned, hands planted on her hips again.

Cody focused his gaze on Dylan until he looked like he was about to squirm out of his shoes from the discomfort.

"I uh..I'll meet you downstairs," he smiled apologetically at Arden before rushing out, closing the door behind him.

Arden glared angrily at the door before turning her ire on Cody, "What do you want?"

"I was hoping we could talk," he began to explain. He actually began to feel a little guilty after their last argument.

"Have you told everyone that you're a liar and we never had sex?" she asked.

Cody rolled his eyes, "No."

"Then I don't have anything to say to you," she said, walking past him to the door.

"Come on, don't you think you're overreacting a little?" he asked.

"Cold fish don't overreact," she said, yanking the door open. "Please leave."

"Arden-"

She held up a hand to stop him and then pointed out the door. Obviously, she wasn't going to listen to a word he said. He shrugged, walking out. He wouldn't feel guilty anymore. He tried to talk to her and she didn't want to hear it.

* * *

_8 PM_

John thanked the waitress as she set drinks in front of him and Randy Orton. She smiled sweetly at him but quickly focused her attention on Randy, her gaze lingering a few seconds longer than necessary before she walked away.

"Somebody's got a fan," John smirked, drinking some of his beer.

"I have millions of fans," Randy smiled. "But you're right. I have a feeling we're not paying for these drinks."

"You always have been good for free booze," John laughed. "It's the whole reason I hang out with you."

"I have to have some redeeming qualities," Randy shrugged. They'd been good friends for years, despite a few blow ups here and there.

"One redeeming quality," John corrected. "It just happens to be an important one."

They'd been good friends for years, despite a few blow ups here and there. He knew this latest suspension had Randy feeling stir crazy. John didn't feel too badly for him, it was his own fault, but he had missed seeing his friend on the road.

"So how have you been?" Randy asked. "How are things with Ashley?"

John sighed deeply, not completely sure how to answer that question. He and his wife Ashley had been married for four years and together for 6. When they met, things were better than perfect. It was like love at first sight. He moved her into his house after 6 months. They didn't have a single argument that entire time. The fighting started just after their first anniversary. She started nitpicking about everything. All of a sudden, she hated his schedule, she missed him and she wanted him home more. He reminded her that she knew what she signed up for and that just made things worse. After that it seemed like every few months they had a big blowup and broke up. Then within a week they were back together and right as rain until the next fight. After they'd been together for a year, the theme of the arguments changed. She was ready to settle down and get married. He told her that he wanted to marry her, just not yet, and that wasn't enough. The on again off again relationship continued until she finally packed all of her things and told him she was leaving for good if he didn't commit to her the way she wanted. At the time, he couldn't imagine the thought of losing her forever so he took her best friend out and had her help him pick out a ring. He threw her a huge surprise party for her birthday and proposed in front of all of their friends and family. She was thrilled and started planning her dream wedding a week later. After that, things were perfect again. They were married within a year without a single argument. The first two years of married life were great. Then, she lost her job. John encouraged her to take her time before finding a new one. She didn't need to work and he told her that he wanted her to figure out what would really make her happy. She went to school for fashion merchandising. She'd been a buyer for major retailers. He thought she might want to open a small store of her own. She tossed the idea around for a few months but decided against it. Then she started getting restless and the fights started again. She wanted to remodel the house and he agreed, told her to do whatever she wanted. He figured if it would keep her busy, it would keep her from jumping down his throat. When he started getting the bills he thought she'd lost her mind. He had plenty of money but that didn't mean he wanted to spend it all on remodeling a house that was perfectly fine to begin with. For the amount of money she was spending, could have just had another house built. But when he dared confront her about it, she accused him of not wanting her to be happy. The last few months, he'd dreaded going home on the few off days he actually had. He was more grateful for his hectic schedule than he'd ever been.

"Things are..fine," John forced the words out, drinking more of his beer.

"Wow, that was so clearly a lie it's like you weren't even trying to get me to believe you," Randy laughed. "I warned you this would happen."

John sighed, shaking his head. Randy had warned him about Ashley. The two of them got along well but when she wasn't around, Randy had adamantly advised John not to marry her. At the time, John figured it was just because Randy didn't understand the concept of being in a healthy, committed relationship. He had been completely wrong. Randy's marriage was actually one of the healthier John had seen in this business and John's was falling apart.

"Ash has been a basket case for years," Randy said, downing the rest of his drink.

"She's still my wife," John gave him a look.

"But she doesn't have to be," Randy countered. "Have you thought about getting a divorce?"

John coughed, clearing his throat and then drinking more beer. This question he knew how to answer but he didn't want to, "I think that's enough of this discussion."

* * *

Randy felt deeply for his friend. He knew how badly John wanted things to work with Ashley but it was clear as day that they weren't going to. He just hoped that John would be able to admit it to himself and get a divorce before things got even worse. He had been unhappy for too long. He waved to the waitress and pointed to the drinks, signaling for another round. She smiled and giggled to herself before rushing over to the bar. When he looked back to his friend, he was surprised to see a smile on John's face. He'd looked so tense a few moments earlier. Something over Randy's shoulder had caught his attention. Randy turned to find the source and saw a group coming into the bar. He recognized AJ and Eve first. There was a redhead right behind him that he'd never seen before, followed by a young blonde guy and another woman. When he looked closer, he recognized the last woman as Jordan Wyatt. He remembered her from Money in the Bank. She smiled brightly when she looked their way, waving. Randy could tell she wasn't waving at him. Her eyes were on John. He turned back around, interest piqued.

"That's the new girl, right?"

John nodded, "Yeah, that's Jordan."

"What's she like?" Randy asked. "I didn't watch that pre show thing."

"She seems really cool," John said. "She's fun to work with. I bet you'd like her."

"You think so?" Randy raised his eyebrow. He picked up what was left of his drink and finished it. "Grab your beer. Let's go say hello."

"I don't know if-"

"Come on," Randy got up. "No time like the present."

"Alright," John picked up his beer and led the way.

When they reached the table, Jordan stood up, smiling, "Why do we always run into each other when we're drinking?"

John laughed, "Luck I guess."

"That's probably a good word for it," Jordan smirked.

"I wanted to introduce you to this guy," John said, patting Randy on the shoulder. "Randy Orton, this is Jordan Wyatt."

"Nice to meet you," she smiled, shaking the hand Randy offered.

"You too," Randy said. "I've heard a lot about you."

John gave him a look and she laughed, "I hear that a lot lately. I hope it's a good thing."

"It is," Randy assured her. He waved to Eve and AJ who were staring curiously at them. The redhead and the blonde guy came back to the table after going to the bar. He was carrying three beer bottles and she had two fruity looking mixed drinks. Randy recognized one of the beers as a La Fin Du Monde. He was impressed when the man handed it to Jordan. "You have good taste."

"In alcohol, yes," she laughed. "This is my friend Arden, she's my producer. And this is her assistant, Dylan."

"Nice to meet you," Randy smiled, shaking both of their hands.

"Why don't you guys join us?" AJ suggested. "We have room."

"Yeah, that's a great idea," Jordan touched John's arm. "I do still owe you a drink."

Randy pulled out a chair, "Sounds like a plan to me."

* * *

_10 PM_

"So what now?" Kofi asked, looking around the table. Phil, Stu, Stephen, and Bryan had all finished their food and the restaurant was going to be closing in a half hour.

Phil's phone beeped and he checked it, seeing he had two messages. The first was from Jordan.

_You should come meet us! This place is awesome!_

The next message was from AJ and it simply said _KARAOKE!_

Phil laughed out loud as he texted Jordan to ask for the address, "I might have an idea."

10 minutes later, Phil was bringing up the rear as they walked into the bar. There was a stage set up at one end of the room and he laughed when he spotted Jordan and AJ. They were in the middle of a rousing rendition of Weezer's 'Say It Ain't So'. AJ was performing a manic air guitar and Jordan was singing with a microphone in one hand and a beer in the other. AJ's voice sounded a little like a struggling cat and Jordan actually sounded pretty decent, if not a little tipsy. They were both clearly having a ball. Jordan was wearing a her Chili Peppers t-shirt with the cut off sleeves, a pair of plaid shorts and black suede boots that came up to her knees. She had a black beanie atop her dark waves and when they finished their song, AJ grabbed it and tossed it into the cheering crowd, causing them both to burst into laughter. When they got off the stage they headed toward a table and Phil waded through the crowd, leading his friends in the same direction.

"Husband!" AJ yelled when she spotted Bryan.

"Wife," Bryan laughed, opening his arms when she ran in his direction, barreling into him. They'd been referring to each other in that way since they were informed that they would have a wedding on Raw 1000. Apparently they weren't going to stop even though the show, and the failed wedding, was over.

Phil moved past them, heading to the table. He stopped short when he saw Jordan. She was sitting between Randy Orton and John Cena. She and John were looking at something on her phone; their heads so close her hair was touching his face. He said something to her, turning so that he was speaking right into her ear. She laughed, playfully slapping him on the arm. Phil felt his shoulders growing tense and he rolled them, trying to shake off the feeling.

"What's wrong?" he felt Stu's hand clamp down on his shoulder. "You look a little perturbed."

"Nothing," Phil smiled, shrugging. "Let's go grab a seat."

Stu gave him an incredulous look but he ignored it, walking toward the table.

"Hi!" Jordan beamed when she saw him. She got up from her seat, quickly saying something to John and Randy before walking over to him, "I was hoping you'd show up."

"I couldn't resist watching you and AJ do karaoke," he smirked. He looked back to the table, "You having fun?"

"I was," she nodded, taking his hand in hers. "But my night just got better."

She winked at him and his tension was immediately forgotten as he allowed her to lead him to the table.

* * *

"This seat taken?"

Arden looked up from her drink when she heard Stephen's distinctive voice. She smiled up at him, "It's all yours."

He sat down, placing a large glass of beer down in front of him, "This seems like a pretty motley crew."

"It is," Arden agreed. "But, it has been a really fun night. I needed this."

"Everything alright?" he asked.

"It's just been a busy couple of days," she said. "And then the whole Cody thing. Eve apologized for helping to spread the rumor so that was at least nice. "

"What Cody thing?" he asked, looking genuinely confused.

"You didn't hear about it?" Arden looked at him in surprise. It was actually nice to know that Cody's lie hadn't gotten around to everyone. "Cody spread a rumor that he and I…that we were.."

"I get the picture," Stephen frowned, holding up his hand.

"It isn't true," Arden shook her head vehemently. "He tried, in his own weird way, to ask me to dinner and I said no. After that he called me a bitch and then this rumor started."

"He called you that?" Stephen's frown deepened.

"Oh yeah, he's a real gem," Arden shook her head.

"Don't let him bother you," Stephen advised. "He's got a real chip on his shoulder. He bothers you again, you let me know."

"I'm sure you have bigger things to worry about," she smiled, patting him on the hand. "Thank you though."

She laughed, scooting her chair back and turning so he could see her feet, "Look. Flat shoes."

"Well, well," he laughed. "You _do_ know what those are."

"I do," she laughed. "Although they feel a little alien."

"I'm sure you'll get used to it," he laughed. He tapped her empty glass, "What are you drinking?"

"Sea Breeze," she explained.

"My grandmother loves those," he laughed and she feigned offense as he picked up her glass, standing up. "Watch my beer, will you?"

"I'm not going anywhere," she shrugged.

He smiled down at her, "Good."

* * *

Jordan trailed behind Phil as they walked to his hotel room. She sent Arden and Dylan a text, confirming their plans to meet before the first set of interviews the next day. Her feet were absolutely killing her and she had a brief thought that going out drinking the night before such a busy work day was probably not the brightest idea. But she couldn't change it now and she'd had a fantastic time. If she suffered the next day, it would be worth it.

"I can't believe you did all of that karaoke and not one Chili Peppers song," he laughed, pulling his room key out of his pocket.

"I know," she laughed. "I'm a little disappointed in myself."

He laughed as they reached his door, turning to face her. He ran a hand through her hair and she laughed, remembering that she'd never gotten her hat back. He was opening the door to the room and just before they went inside, she noticed him look both ways like he was about to cross the street. Jordan hesitated just outside the door. Her mind went back to earlier that night, when he first got to the bar. On the way to the table, he'd held her hand but when they reached it, he quickly dropped it, as if he didn't want anyone to see. She meant what she said before; what they had was nobody's business but theirs. To her, that meant they could do whatever they wanted, whenever they wanted, but it didn't seem to mean the same thing to him. He was apparently still more worried about Beth's feelings than Jordan's. He'd dropped her hand like a hot potato without a second thought but he couldn't possibly run the risk of Beth finding out he and Jordan were in his room alone at night.

"You know what..I'm a little tired," she tucked her hair behind her ears. "And I have to be up super early tomorrow. I think I'm just gonna go back to my room."

"You sure?" he asked, taking her hand in his and smiling at her. Of course, now he wanted to hold hands.

She nodded, "Yeah I'm sure. I'll see you tomorrow."

* * *

_Monday…_

Jordan frowned at her laptop, trying to control her urge to smack it. Her keyboard was getting worn out, which was making trying to work on her article increasingly difficult. She leaned back a little in her chair, her eyes skimming over her work. She was fairly happy with it so far but she had a lot of quotes she wanted to work in. She had an ear bud in one ear, listening to music while she worked. She needed to wrap it up soon. She didn't have much time before she had to head to the arena to start shooting. She'd spoken briefly to Vince before her first interview on Sunday and he'd laughed, telling her he planned to work her to the bone the next few days. He may have been laughing but he certainly wasn't kidding.

She looked around the restaurant, giving her eyes a quick break from staring at the computer screen. She smiled when she looked at the door and saw John walking in. His face had become a welcome one for her. She waved and when he saw her, he frowned, making a bee line for her. She took her headphones out as he approached.

"_Harry Cartwright_ is your _dad_?" he asked loudly, standing across the table from her.

She smirked, "You said that in a very aggressive manner so I'm not totally sure how I want to respond."

"Why didn't you say anything?" he sat down.

"I find it really strange that people are always so upset that 'I am the spawn of Harry Cartwright' isn't the first phrase out of my mouth when I meet them," she laughed.

"I used to _love_ watching him play," John smiled. "He was the man."

"I'll be sure to let him know you think so," she said. "Or you can just tell him yourself. I'll introduce you when we're in Chicago."

"Really?" he perked up and Jordan laughed. He looked like a little boy being promised a new toy. It was kind of adorable.

"Yes, really," she nodded. "I'll bring my little cousin along. We'll kill two birds with one stone."

"I like the way you think," he said.

"So..how did you find out about my dad?" she asked, taking a sip of her water.

"Zack was googling you," John admitted.

"And why, pray tell, was Zack googling me?" she asked, amused.

"You'll have to ask him that," he laughed. He gestured to her laptop, "What are you working on?"

"An article for Sports Illustrated," Jordan sighed, running a hand through her hair. "It's about the effect the NFL officials lockout will have on the football season if it lasts."

John looked impressed, "Can I read it?"

"It's kind of a mess of notes right now," she said. "But when it's done, sure."

"You think it's gonna be a big deal?" John asked. "I don't buy that it's gonna last."

"I think it's gonna be a _huge_ deal," Jordan said emphatically. "People think they hate NFL refs now, imagine what it's gonna be like with replacements. You think the pros miss calls? Please. And it's gonna last at least a few games. The league isn't gonna cave right away, I guarantee you they make it into the regular season."

He seemed surprised by her passionate response and she laughed, shaking her head, "Sorry. Sometimes I get in a pretty intense headspace when I'm writing."

"Nothing wrong with that," he laughed. "You do any interviews for this?"

She nodded, "Oh yeah. 5 retired officials, including Mike Pereira. Brian Urlacher, Charles Woodson, Brandon Marshall, the list goes on. I have two more on Wednesday: Mike Wallace from the Steelers and Chris Collinsworth."

"Nothing with your dad?" he laughed.

She shook her head, "I make it a point not to interview my dad if I can avoid it. I never want anyone to think he's doing me a favor, you know?"

"I take it that's why you don't use his last name."

She nodded, "Yup. I decided when I was in 8th grade that I wanted to do sports journalism and I knew even then that I was at a disadvantage. Being a woman, I have a harder time getting people to take me seriously. And being my father's daughter, I have to fight the idea that I'm entitled or that anyone who works with me is just doing a favor for the great Harry Cartrwight."

"8th grade?" he asked. "You must have been an interesting kid."

"I like to think I was," she shrugged.

John looked down at her phone on the table, frowning. He gave her an apologetic look, "I gotta get going. I have a signing."

"I'll see you at the arena tonight," she said.

He got up to leave but hesitated, looking at her with an earnest expression, "Don't spread yourself too thin, okay?"

She didn't respond at first. She had the feeling he wasn't done.

"Our schedule can be pretty exhausting and with you travelling with us, plus all your work in Chicago..that's gotta be tough. Just don't overdo it."

She smiled, appreciative of his concern, "I won't. I can handle it."

"Yeah," John smiled. "I get the feeling you can do anything you put your mind to."

She felt her cheeks get a little warm and she shrugged, "I hope so. You better get going."

"Right," he laughed. "I'll see you tonight."

* * *

John was about to turn around when he felt a pair of hands clamp over his eyes, "Guess who."

He hoped his nose and ears deceived him. She sounded like Ashley and she definitely smelled like her sweet, floral perfume but it couldn't be. She never showed up unannounced. She hadn't come to visit him on the road in almost a year.

"I said guess who," she repeated, in a forced pleasant tone.

"Ash?" he pulled her hands away from his eyes, turning into her arms.

She put her arms around his neck, smiling up at him, "Surprise!"

"Definitely," he said, confused. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to see you, what else would I be doing here," she hugged him. She pulled away, her eyes quickly glancing at Jordan and then back at him. She lowered her volume, "Who is that you were talking to?"

John resisted the urge to roll his eyes. It was good to know his wife paid so much attention to his work.

"Jordan," he turned. "I want you to meet my wife Ashley. Ash, this is Jordan Wyatt."

"It's so nice to meet you," Jordan smiled sweetly, reaching out her hand.

Ashley shook it firmly, smiling, "Thank you. I'm sure you've heard a lot about me."

John clenched his teeth and took a deep breath. There was an edgy tone to Ashley's voice. He knew that tone. She was ready for a fight. To make matters worse, he had maybe mentioned her to Jordan once. He didn't really talk to anyone except Randy about her these days.

Jordan didn't miss a beat, her smile widened, "Oh yeah, he talks about you all of the time."

"Aww," she reached up, rubbing John's cheek. "I'm such a lucky girl."

John gave Jordan an apologetic look, wondering if his wife was going to lift her leg on him next.

Jordan offered a barely noticeable shrug of her left shoulder and he knew she wasn't offended.

"So do you work with Johnny?" she asked.

He hated when she called him that.

"I do," she nodded. "Just started a couple weeks ago."

"That must be nice," Ashley smiled. "I bet you were a big fan before you got the job, huh?"

Jordan's eyebrow quirked a little at Ashley's condescending tone but she didn't show any other reaction. She just shrugged, "Yeah, you could say that."

"Ash, Jordan's got a ton of work to do today and so do I. I have a signing to get to, if you're gonna come with, we should get going."

"Okay honey," she kissed him on the cheek. She waved at Jordan, "See you later."

"Bye," Jordan waved. John turned Ashley around before he could do or say anything else. Once they were out of the restaurant and Jordan's earshot, he removed his arm from her shoulders, slowing his pace, "Okay Ashley. What are you doing here?"

She pulled a manila envelope out of the bag she was carrying, turning to him, blue eyes ablaze, "I think I'm the one that gets to ask the questions here John. What the hell is this?"

* * *

**And a Preview for the next update...**

**Arden and Nick have another awkward moment  
**

**John tries to explain himself to Ashley  
**

**Stephen has a talk with Cody  
**


	16. Chapter 16

**This update took much longer than I expected (I know, I always say that) and I'm sorry for it but hopefully you'll like it. I had a very exciting last couple of weeks, including getting to meet CM Punk twice. Thanks for your reviews, you all know I appreciate them. Keep 'em coming! Next chapter is about halfway done so it should be up soon. Enjoy!  
**

**Chapter 16…**

John opened the door to his hotel room, allowing Ashley to walk in first. He didn't want to have this conversation in the hotel lobby. Ashley breezed in past him and he followed her inside, turning and closing the door behind him. Before he faced her, he took a deep breath, preparing himself. He turned to find her standing with her hands on her hips, her blue eyes burning a hole through him.

"Okay, we're alone," she said. "You gonna answer me now? What the hell is this?"

"You know what it is Ashley," he said quietly. "I'm sure your lawyer explained it to you."

He didn't need to see the papers to know what she was holding: Divorce papers. He knew she wasn't going to be pleased when she got them but she couldn't say she didn't know it was coming. His lawyer had sent her a settlement offer a month earlier to try and keep things from getting messy. She'd literally thrown the papers in his face, telling him that their marriage wasn't over.

"I don't need anyone else to explain it to me," she glared. "I want _you_ to explain it. I want _you_ to explain to me why you would do this. How could you do this to me?"

"We've had this talk a million times Ash," he sighed. "I'm sorry that you're upset, I really am. And this isn't what I wanted either but we both know this has to happen."

"I can't _believe_ you would be so _selfish_," she started pacing.

"_Selfish_?" he stared. "Ashley, I've given you _everything_ for six years and now I'm offering to give you more. How is that selfish?"

"You're putting a _number_ on the value of our relationship," she spat. "Is that what you think our marriage is worth?"

John sighed, looking up at the ceiling. The amount in the settlement offer was more than she was entitled to according to their pre-nup. He had directed his lawyer to offer her more because, despite the breakdown of their relationship, he cared about Ashley and he wanted her to have enough to live comfortably.

"It's not about the value of our marriage," he corrected her. "That money is enough for your own house, your own business if you want. Anything you want. I think that's perfectly fair."

"And I think that's bullshit," she pointed. "John you can't just end our marriage without talking to me first."

"We _have_ talked," John said, wondering if he was in the Twilight Zone all of a sudden. They'd been talking, mostly fighting, for months about this. He couldn't understand how divorce papers could be such a surprise to her. She didn't even seem upset or sad about the end of their marriage, she just seemed _angry_ that he wasn't offering her enough.

"Who is she?" she asked, dropping the papers onto a nearby table.

"What are you talking about?"

"Is it Eve? Is it Layla? That new girl?" she asked. A bitter laugh escaped her and she snapped her fingers, "I got it! It's all three of them, isn't it?"

"You know that's not it," he said, shaking his head sadly.

"_Why_ should I believe that?" she asked. "You're _never_ home. You're always on the road with these _women_. Not to mention all of your precious fans, throwing themselves at you left and right."

"No one is throwing anything at me," he argued, standing up and putting his hands on her shoulders. "Ashley, I'm sorry that things haven't worked out between us but it's over. You know that."

She pulled out of his grasp, snatching up the papers, "It's not over until I say it is."

* * *

Stephen set down his gym bag and walked into the locker room. He was running late due to a couple of television and radio appearances that were scheduled at the last minute. He wouldn't say it out loud to anyone but he was a little relieved to be involved in a tag match that night. He'd been trying to let an injury to his nose heal for weeks so the lighter load for a night would be nice. He sat down, opening his bag and unpacking his gear.

"What's up Champ?"

He looked up, surprised to see Cody walking into the room. They weren't normally assigned the same dressing room.

"Cody," he nodded to the other man, who had already turned his attention to his IPhone. He rolled his eyes, figuring Cody was going to have a bad attitude because he wasn't on the card for the night. Regardless, he had something he wanted to talk to the other man about and there was no time like the present.

"Cody, do you have a minute?" he asked, taking off his baseball cap.

Cody held up a finger, typing something on his phone. Stephen rolled his eyes, not in the mood, "What's your problem with Arden?"

"What?" Cody slipped his phone into his pocket. He was putting on a confused look but Stephen wasn't convinced.

"Arden," Stephen repeated. "Pretty, red hair. I think you know who I'm talking about."

"I know who you're talking about but I don't have any problem with her," Cody smiled innocently. "Why?"

"From what I've been told, you spread some rumors about her that she didn't appreciate," Stephen explained. "And when she confronted you about it, you called her a name I won't repeat right now."

Cody laughed, "And who told you this?"

"Doesn't matter," Stephen said. "It's true, isn't it?"

Cody rolled his eyes dramatically, "Why is this any of your business? What's the big deal?"

"Listen, this doesn't have to be a big deal," Stephen shrugged. "Arden is a friend. I'd appreciate it if you left her alone. That's all."

"You're friends?" Cody smirked. "How is that possible? She's been around for five minutes. Besides, I didn't say anything that wasn't true. She has been a-"

"I'm gonna stop you right there," Stephen stood up, stepping closer to the other man. "I have a feeling I know what you're about to say and I'm going to advise you to rethink it."

Cody looked surprised and, for a fleeting moment, nervous. Stephen understood that to some extent, Cody had a point. He hadn't known Arden for very long. That didn't matter though, five years or five minutes, he didn't like the idea of any woman being made to feel uncomfortable when he could do something to help.

"Like I said," Stephen put his hands in his pockets, hoping to come off as less threatening and more conversational. "Arden is a friend."

"Okay," Cody shrugged, "I'll be nicer to her."

"I appreciate that," Stephen smiled, patting him on the shoulder. "Good talk."

* * *

Phil walked backstage after walking through his match with John. He was itching to get the show started; looking forward to the end they had planned. He wondered where Jordan was, knowing she would appreciate the angle between him, John, and Dwayne that would end the show. He liked having someone on the road that wasn't so involved in the planning that they could still get excited about the show.

He looked around, spotting her talking to Hunter and Stephanie. She looked phenomenal as usual but he resisted the urge to ogle her. He was more curious about what the three of them had to discuss. She looked surprised by something Stephanie was saying and then she nodded, shaking hands with her. Both women then laughed loudly at something that Hunter said and Phil fought the urge to roll his eyes. He hung back waiting until their conversation was over. He didn't want to get pulled into some uncomfortable interaction with Stephanie. They tended to butt heads if they talked for too long. He raised his hand in a subtle wave and caught Jordan's eye. She held up a finger before turning her attention back to Stephanie. After another minute or so, they parted ways and Jordan turned in his direction. He walked over when the coast was clear.

"Hi," she said, smiling excitedly. "This has been the weirdest day. Stephanie just asked me to sit with her at the next 'Be a Star' luncheon."

"And you wanna do that?" he made a face.

"Why wouldn't I want to?" she asked, looking surprised by his reaction.

"Just doesn't sound very enjoyable to me," he shrugged. "Although it probably has something to do with the fact that Stephanie hates me."

"I'm sure she doesn't _hate_ you," Jordan said. "Not with the amount of money you make for this company."

He shook his head, "I'm not totally surprised about the invitation. I keep hearing the higher ups talking about what a great job you're doing."

"Yeah?" she smiled. "That's good to hear."

"Listen, I wanted to talk to you about the show tonight," he said, excited to tell her the news. "I-"

He was interrupted by the sound of her phone ringing. She quickly pulled it out of the pocket of her skirt. "It's Arden. She's probably searching for me. We have a lot to do. I'll see you after the show, okay?"

"Uh yeah, that sounds good," he said. "Do you need a ride after the show? You could come on the bus-"

"I can't. I'm riding with Arden and AJ. Sorry," she said quickly. "Have an _awesome_ show tonight. I'm sure you're gonna kill it."

Before he could say anything else she had her phone pressed to her ear and she was heading off in another direction. Phil stared after her, confused. She'd never seemed so eager to get away from him before.

* * *

Jordan hung up her phone, slipping it back into her pocket after finishing her conversation with Arden. She was grateful for her friend's call. It got her out of an awkward conversation with Phil. She hadn't spoken to him since Saturday and she wasn't feeling any differently about things between them. She just couldn't bring herself to tell him what was going on in her head. That would only serve to make things weirder. When she had some time to sit and actually sort out her thoughts, maybe then she would try and talk to him. Until then, the best plan she could come up with was avoidance. She passed the women's locker room and on an impulse, she stopped, turning and poking her head in the room. It didn't take long to find who she was looking for.

"Hey Beth," she called.

The blonde looked up from her bag and waved.

"Can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Sure," Beth zipped her bag and came out into the hall with her. "What's up?"

Jordan considered her words carefully before she spoke. She was feeling guilty about not correcting Beth in regard to Colt and she couldn't let it go on any longer.

"I've been meaning to talk to you," she began, putting her hands in her pockets. "It's about Colt and me."

"Is everything okay?" Beth asked.

The blonde's concerned expression made Jordan feel like even more of an ass.

"We're not together. We never were. We're good friends. That's all," she explained. "I didn't correct you right away because I was so confused. I had _no _idea what you were talking about at first. I'm sorry."

Beth nodded, "Wow. I feel like a real idiot."

"You're not," Jordan assured her. "We all make assumptions that are wrong sometimes. I also want you to know..I'm not dating Phil either. And I didn't sleep with him to get my job here."

Beth winced at the reminder of her accusation, "I've made a phenomenal impression on you, haven't I?"

"Kinda, yeah," Jordan laughed.

"Well," Beth sighed, putting her hands on her hips. "My previous apology stands, now with the addendum that I'm sorry I thought you were with Colt."

"He'll be very relieved that no one thinks I'm his girlfriend now," Jordan said. "He was worried it would hurt his rep."

Beth laughed, shaking her head, "So is it safe to assume you think I'm a total psycho bitch?"

"Not at all," she shook her head. "I'm starting to understand what it's like to get hung up on a guy."

"It _sucks_," Beth leaned against the wall.

Jordan nodded, "_Amen_."

* * *

Randy walked into the men's locker room, surprised to see it nearly empty. John was sitting there alone, elbows resting on his knees, staring off into space.

"I feel like there are other things you could be doing right now," he laughed, snapping his friend out of his trance.

John looked at him, only offering a faint hint of a smile.

"What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing," John shook his head. "Just a long day."

"You have become a really sub-par liar," Randy said, walking in further into the room and sitting down on a bench. "What's going on?"

John sighed deeply and opened his mouth to speak. The door opened and his opportunity was gone as Ashley walked into the room. He wasn't Ashley's biggest fan but he had to admit she could take over a room. He'd always thought she was as gorgeous as she was crazy. She smiled from ear to ear at Randy and he forced himself to smile back. There was something tense about the way she was smiling, something false. He was pretty sure he had a good idea of what was wrong with John now.

"Randy, how nice to see you," she walked over, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Same to you," he said. "Since when do you visit John while he's working?"

She looked annoyed for a moment but recovered quickly, "Since now. It's nice that they let _you_ visit while you're suspended."

Randy chose not to comment.

Ashley smiled victoriously, "I'm gonna go find some food. Johnny do you want something?"

"No thanks Ash," he shook his head, not looking at her.

She stared at him for a moment, almost willing him to look at her. He didn't and she turned and walked out of the room.

"I don't want to talk about it," John gave Randy a warning look.

Randy decided to relent, temporarily, changing the subject, "So Saturday night was interesting."

"Yeah, I'm not sure my ears will ever recover from AJ and Bryan singing Natural Woman," John shook his head.

Randy laughed, "Jordan's nice. You two seem to get along well."

John nodded, "Yup."

"She seems to like you," Randy said casually, watching John's face for a reaction.

"Randy, my wife just walked out of the room," John sighed, meeting his eyes.

"She did," Randy nodded. "What's your point?"

"I know what you're thinking. Jordan is _just_ a friend," John said. "I barely know the girl."

"I know that," Randy feigned innocence. "I was just making conversation."

"Well that's not a conversation we need to have," John warned him.

Randy knew why his friend was testy but he couldn't acknowledge it if John wouldn't. He leaned his elbows on his knees, deciding to just confront it head on, "How's Ashley taking the divorce?"

John stopped what he was doing, looking down at his feet. Randy hadn't been 100% positive until that moment that he was right. On the one hand, he was relieved that John was finally taking steps toward getting out of an unhealthy relationship but on the other; he knew how hard it was for his friend to admit that his marriage was over.

"How did you know?"

"I can read you like a book," Randy said. "You don't usually avoid questions and when I asked you about divorce you couldn't change the subject fast enough."

John sighed, leaning against the back of his chair, "We've been talking about it. I thought she finally understood. My lawyer sent her a settlement offer and it set her off. "

"And she showed up here to confront you?"

"She showed up here because she thinks I'll do anything to keep her from making a scene," John corrected. "She wants more money."

"I thought you had a prenup?"

"We do," John nodded. "And I'm offering her a lot more than she's entitled to…but as usual with Ash, it's not on her terms so it's unacceptable. Nothing's ever enough."

"What's not enough?"

Both men looked up when the door opened and Ashley walked back into the room.

"Nothing," Randy answered quickly.

Ashley looked unconvinced but she walked over, standing next to John's chair, "You sure you two weren't talking about me?"

Randy forced a laugh, deciding it would be best not to confirm her suspicion, "Why would we do that?"

* * *

Colt followed Bryan into the busy production area, observing how much more chaotic things seemed than normal. He'd been backstage at Raw plenty of times with Phil but the atmosphere leading up to the 1000th episode seemed amplified. There were definitely more people and there was a lot more noise. He predicted that by the end of the night, Vince would burst a blood vessel, freaking out about something. It was inevitable.

"Have I told you before that I think it's adorable when you come to visit Phil?" Bryan smirked. "I admire your commitment to the long distance relationship."

"Shut up," Colt laughed, pushing his shoulder. "Jealous."

Out of the corner of his eye, Colt saw a cameraman filming and he turned, smiling when he saw Jordan. He waved and he could tell that she saw him in her periphery because she laughed a little but she kept speaking into the camera.

He and Bryan chatted for a while longer, with Bryan giving him the details on how his wedding would go with AJ. When Jordan was done filming, she came over, giving him a hug.

"Hey Cabana, I didn't know you were gonna be here," she smiled. "Hey Bryan."

"Phil asked me to come," Colt explained, putting a hand over Bryan's mouth before he could comment.

"Do I even want to know?" she pointed back and forth between them.

Colt dropped his hand and Bryan laughed, "No, probably not. Are we still supposed to be filming before the wedding segment?"

"They want us to move it up, get it done before the show," Jordan explained. "Whenever you're ready, really."

"Let me just throw on my tux then," Bryan said. "Can you watch this guy for a while? I don't want him harassing anyone."

"I'll keep my eye on him for a few minutes," Jordan winked.

"See you later man," Bryan patted Colt on the shoulder before rushing off.

"I saw all your pictures," Colt turned to her. She and Arden had posted pictures taken during her filming Lunch with a Legend on Twitter. "You're like a kid in a candy store."

"I really am," Jordan smiled excitedly. "I'm supposed to shoot with Paul Heyman and Brock Lesnar today. It's gonna air on Raw next week. Paul freakin' Heyman."

"I'm surprised you haven't spent a ton of time with him already," Colt said. "He and Phil are like family."

"Yeah well..I don't spend all my time with Phil," she laughed but there was an edge to her tone.

"Is everything okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, of course, why?" she spoke quickly.

"Because you got a little tense for a second there," he answered.

"No I didn't," she shook her head. "Why would I get tense?"

Colt knew enough about women to know that she was not about to admit to whatever was going on. He would have to find out from another source.

"Jordan, we've gotta redo that last one. Something was up with your microphone."

Colt turned in the direction of Arden's voice. She smiled, waving at him when she saw him. "Hey Colt!"

"Duty calls," Jordan looked relieved to have an exit. "I'll talk to you later."

"Hey, do you know where Phil is?" Colt asked.

"No idea," Jordan shrugged. "I'm sure he's around here somewhere."

* * *

Nick turned up the music in his headphones, downing more of his Gatorade. The show was starting in an hour and he was in the first match. Granted, it was a six man tag that he could finish with his eyes closed but still, he needed to get loosened up. He rolled his shoulders and neck, running in place to get the blood flowing. He took another drink before sprinting down the short corridor. He turned to run back and his momentum took him further than he intended. He saw Arden come around the corner but he couldn't stop himself before he smacked into her, losing his grip on the Gatorade. He watched in horror as the blue liquid spilled all over the front of her white shirt.

"Shit," he pulled off his headphones, holding out his hands to steady her.

Her mouth was wide open and he could tell his loud music had muffled a gasp.

"I am so sorry," he said, looking down between them. Her shirt was soaked through and he could see a hint of the pastel colored lace bra underneath. He was momentarily distracted by the curve of her breasts but when she started pulling the wet fabric away from her skin he snapped out of it. "Are you okay?"

"I'm soaked," she said. He noticed a flush creeping up her cheeks and realized he'd probably gotten caught staring.

"I am so sorry, I didn't think anyone would be coming this way," he apologized.

"My phone kept losing signal, I was trying to find a better spot," she explained, still holding out the wet shirt with one hand. She looked at her phone with the other, laughing, "Full bars now. Of course."

"I promise, I'll pay for your dry cleaning," he offered.

"That is helpful," she said. "I'm not entirely sure what I'm gonna do now though."

Without a second thought, Nick pulled off the t-shirt he was wearing, handing it to her.

She laughed, "You don't have to do that."

"Trust me, I can always get another one," Nick smirked.

She looked around for a place to change but the nearest door led to a closet.

"I'll cover you," he offered, opening the closet door.

"Oh no, I can't-"

"Or you can just keep walking around looking like you're in a one woman wet t-shirt contest," he smirked.

"Good point," she moved around him, ducking into the closet. She closed the door and he kept his back to it. She walked out a few seconds later and when she stood in front of him, he smiled. His shirt fit her like a dress.

She gestured down at the hot pink shirt, her slim black pants and gray stiletto heels, "This is a very professional outfit. What do you think?"

"I think you look great," he answered honestly. "Then again, I'm a sucker for a girl in my clothes."

She looked surprised by his comment and the redness in her cheeks deepened. He couldn't help but get a kick out of making her blush.

"Arden!"

They both turned as Arden's assistant Dylan rushed toward them. He looked a little confused when he saw her shirt but he shook it off quickly, "We've gotta shoot the interview with AJ before the show starts. They wanna do it now."

"Okay, I'll be right there," she said quickly. Dylan turned and walked away quickly. She took a deep breath, "Back to work I guess."

"Sorry again about the Gatorade," he ran a hand over his hair.

"I'll live," she smiled. "Thanks for the shirt."

He smiled back, watching as she turned to leave, "Anytime."

* * *

Phil looked up from the book he was reading, when he felt movement on the bus. He was hiding out before the show, trying to avoid the backstage madness. He pulled off his headphones as the curtain that closed his bed off from the rest of the bus opened.

"I hereby claim this vessel in the name of Scotty Goldman!"

Phil laughed, putting down his book and getting up, giving his best friend a hug, "How'd you find me back here?"

"AJ said she saw you come out here," Colt explained.

"I've gotta talk to her about telling the riff raff where to find me," Phil shook his head, walking past Colt to where there was a more comfortable sitting area.

"I feel like everyone's giving me shit today and it's a little excessive," Colt joked, sitting down. "Except for Jordan. She didn't seem to be in the joking mood. What exactly did you do to her?"

"What are you talking about?" Phil asked, confused. "I didn't do anything."

"I get the feeling that you did," Colt said. "I brought you up and she bristled like a porcupine."

"Yeah, she brushed me off earlier, I thought maybe she was just stressed about work," Phil sighed.

"Well she's not," Colt laughed. "She's stressed about you. What'd you do?"

"Nothing," Phil insisted. "We had a talk the other day; I thought we smoothed everything out. We went out with a bunch of people after, everything seemed fine."

"And what happened in this talk exactly?"

"I said that I didn't think either of us was ready for a relationship," Phil explained. "Jordan seemed okay with it. She said we could just do whatever we wanted, no labels."

"And you think she meant that?" Colt asked.

"Of course, why else would she say it?"

"Because it's what you wanted to hear."

"Jordan wouldn't lie," Phil dismissed his friend's idea. He knew her better than that.

"I'm not saying she _lied_," Colt said. "Look, I don't know if you've noticed this but, for some strange reason, there's a pretty large faction of women out there that find you irresistible. They obviously don't realize you're a moody jerk."

"Your point?" Phil raised an eyebrow.

"My point is that Jordan, like lots of women before her, likes you. A lot," Colt explained. "You told her you only have so much to offer and so she took it. Doesn't mean she's happy about it, just means she's willing to settle for it. Haven't you ever done that?"

Phil sighed, running his hands over his face. He had been in that position once before. It was an uncomfortable feeling, wanting more than someone was willing to give you. He still wasn't convinced that Colt was right but he couldn't say for sure that he was wrong either. "You really think that's it?"

Colt shrugged, "It's either that or she finally realized you're not that cute."

* * *

**In the Next Chapter...**

**Jordan's busy schedule catches up to her  
**

**Phil gets to meet Harry Cartwright  
**


	17. Chapter 17

**My sincerest apologies, I know it's been a while since I updated, Life has been a bit crazy (in a wonderful way!). Since it's been a while I thought I'd be nice and give you all a double update. Please don't forget to review. The updates usually come faster when there's lots of feedback! Enjoy!  
**

**Chapter 17…**

_Thursday…_

Jordan left her suitcase near the wall of her office, looking at the display on the front of her nearly dead phone, frowning at the blurry numbers. She pulled off her glasses and cleaned them with the bottom of her shirt. When she slipped them back on and looked at the phone again, the numbers were only slightly clearer. It was 5:30PM. That meant she had 20 minutes to get upstairs to the studio, settle in, and talk to Matt and Jason before their show started at 6. She unlocked her phone to turn the ringer off, sighing when she saw that she had 4 text messages; the first from her father asking how her flight was. The second was from her step mother Grace confirming breakfast plans before her flight on Sunday. The third was from Dylan reminding her that he'd emailed her a new itinerary. The fourth was from Phil. It said _Call me when you have time, I think we should talk._

"When I have time," she smirked, dropping her keys on her desk and slipping her phone into her pocket. "So sometime next week then. Maybe next month."

She wasn't sure when she would have time for another one of Phil's talks. Maybe this time he would tell her he was going to start paying her for the sex.

She took the stairs to the studio in hopes of waking herself up a little. She felt like she hadn't slept in days, probably because she was averaging 3 to 4 hours a night, about half of what she was used to.

When she got into the studio, Jason stood up when he saw her, "Jo! I thought you weren't gonna show up."

"Flight got delayed," she rushed over, allowing herself to be pulled into a tight hug.

"You look tired," Matt said as he came over, hugging her as soon as Jason let go.

"Oh Matty," Jordan kissed his cheek. "Marriage has obviously taught you nothing. You never tell a woman she looks tired."

"That's when you're trying to sleep with a woman," Matt pointed. "I am not now nor have I ever tried to sleep with you."

"Fair enough," Jordan smiled, heading over to her station. "Any guests today?"

"Nope, just the dream team," Matt said plopping down into his chair.

Jordan blinked a few times, trying to focus on her computer screen and set up a song for the show's open. The screen seemed incredibly bright and it made it hard to read.

"Still loving the new job?" Jason asked, plugging in his headphones.

"I had a twenty minute conversation about college football with The Rock on Monday," Jordan smirked. "What's not to love?"

"What was he like?" Matt slid his chair over to her. "Was he everything I ever dreamed?"

Matt had a long standing love for The Rock that rivaled Jordan's own for Randy Savage.

"Everything and more Matty," she smiled, pushing the bottom of his chair with her foot to roll him away.

She yawned, causing her eyes to water. She was going to need something to wake her up if she had any chance of making it through the show.

"Hey Lee," she waved over one of their interns. "Can you run to Starbucks and get me some tea please?"

"Venti, Passion, three honey packets?" Lee smiled.

"You're wonderful, thank you," Jordan smiled. Lee had been interning at the station for 6 months and he was a massive kiss ass but he never forgot a drink or a food order so he was okay by her.

"Hey, you know you can take the night off if you need to," Jason told her, eyeing her with concern. "It's a slow news day. We'll be okay."

"Why would I need the night off?" she asked, selecting the instrumental version of Childish Gambino's Freaks and Geeks for the open.

"Matty was right," Jason said. "You look dead tired."

"I'm not," she insisted. "I'll sleep when we're done."

"We need you rested for the onsite tomorrow," he reminded her.

They were taping the next day's show on location at a bar in the suburbs. Jordan had almost forgotten. She usually loved onsite shows but she couldn't say she was totally looking forward to this one. At least at a taping in the regular studio she could show up in sweats and no one would know the difference.

"I'll be fine Jay," she assured her friend, reaching up and pinching his cheek. "Don't you worry your pretty little head about me."

Jason shrugged, "Someone has to."

* * *

Friday…

Arden flipped through her menu as she waited for Allison Miller, Bob's wife and one of her closest friends, to arrive. She hadn't seen her since she started working on Jordan's show and, though Jordan had become the best friend she never had, she missed Allison. She was the closest thing to a maternal influence in her life. She looked down at her phone, checking the time. She had overestimated traffic and shown up 20 minutes early. Allison was usually right on time which meant she would be sitting alone for a little while longer. She typed out a quick text to Jordan, making sure her flight landed safely and then decided to play Tetris until Allison arrived. She was near the end of a very tense game that had gone awry from the start when she heard a familiar laugh. She looked around and spotted the source at the bar. Nick Nemeth was sitting with a pretty blonde and they were both laughing loudly, shoving each other's arms.

She quickly walked away, not wanting to stare. It didn't help that almost every time she looked at Nick, her mind drifted back to the time she saw him naked. She could feel her cheeks starting to flush and she placed her hands on either side of her chilled wine glass and then pressed them to her cheeks, hoping he didn't look her way.

"Arden sweetheart!"

The redhead winced when she heard Allison's voice. She had been a cheerleader in her younger days and her voice carried like nobody's business. She snuck a glance over at Nick but he was still focused on his date. She stood up as Allison reached the table, smiling and hugging her tightly.

"Since when are you such a hugger?" Allison asked cheerfully, hugging back.

"Very recently," Arden laughed as they sat down. "You look wonderful."

"So do you," she said. "You'll look even better with this."

Arden shook her head as Allison set a small pink gift bag on the table. She was always buying her things. Bob said once that it was because they didn't have any children of their own and Allison was making up for it by trying to spoil Arden.

"What's this?" she asked, taking tissue paper out of the bag. There was a Michael Kors box inside. When she opened it, she saw a beautiful rose gold watch.

"You didn't have to do this," Arden smiled at her friend.

"I know but I saw it and I thought of how good it would look on you," Allison shrugged.

"Arden?"

Both women looked up when they heard the voice from near the bar. Arden had momentarily forgotten about Nick's presence. They both looked in his direction and Allison let out a low whistle. Arden kicked her leg under the table.

"Hi," she smiled at him as he made his way over from the bar, the blonde in tow.

"Long time no see," he laughed, standing beside her chair. "How are you?"

"I'm good," she said, trying to ignore the intrigued look on Allison's face. "You?"

"Not too bad," he said. He seemed to remember the woman next to him suddenly and he touched her arm, "This is my cousin Natalie. Nat, this is Arden and, I assume, her younger sister."

"Oh I like him," Allison smiled, reaching out her hand. "Allison Miller. Nice to meet you."

Everyone exchanged niceties for a few moments before Nick asked, "So do you live nearby or something?"

"I do," Arden nodded. "Just a few miles away actually. Do you?"

"No, but Nat does," he explained. "I had some media today and tomorrow so I'm staying with her."

"That's nice," Arden smiled.

"Nice for him," Natalie smirked. "All of a sudden my guest room looks like a tornado went through it."

"It'll be clean when I leave," Nick said, looking almost sheepish. "I've been busy."

"I know, I'm just kidding," she playfully elbowed him in the side.

"We should probably get out of your way," Nick suggested. "I just wanted to come over and say hi."

Allison winked at Arden before smiling up at Nick, "Why don't you join us?"

* * *

Jason looked over at Jordan as Matt threw to another break. They had an hour of show left and he wasn't sure she was going to make it. She was putting on her best front, smiling and laughing, having a few drinks with some of the fans that had come to watch the show but he could tell that something was off with her. She was normally the most unflappable of the three of them but all day she'd been losing her train of thought right in the middle of a sentence or missing cues for breaks. On top of that, she kept complaining about being cold when nobody else was. Jason sent one of the interns to get her cold medicine but it didn't seem to have any effect.

"You're staring at me," Jordan said, pushing her headphones down around her neck.

"I'm trying to figure out what's going on with you," Jason responded honestly. He didn't see any reason to deny worrying about her. They were basically family. She knew it was coming.

"I thought you decided I had a cold," she smirked.

"Something's wrong," he insisted. "Have you been to the doctor lately?"

"No I have not," she answered. "Probably because I don't need one. I'm fine."

"You're not," Jason shook his head. He laughed, "Is this Punk's fault? You two not getting any sleep?"

"I haven't slept as much as I would like but it has nothing to do with him," Jordan said. "I've just been busy. I'm a little tired. No big deal."

"Are you pregnant?" Jason asked.

"Seriously, Jay?" she stared, tapping her microphone to make sure it wasn't on. "No!"

"We're back in 20 seconds guys," Matt returned to his seat with a beer.

"I'm not pregnant and I'm not sick," Jordan said angrily. "Now stop worrying and let's get on with the damn show."

* * *

"Well they obviously get along well," Nick smirked, nodding toward Allison and Natalie who were talking about their shared love of some little out of the way shoe boutique. Nick and Arden were at the bar getting another round of drinks.

"Even _I_ can't talk about shoes for that long," Arden laughed

"Thanks again for letting us crash your dinner," he smiled. He was having a great time. Allison was hilarious and he was really enjoying getting to know more about Arden. When Allison first invited them to stay, her eyes had nearly popped out of her head but over time, she had loosened up quite a bit.

"I owed you," she shrugged. "You did give me the shirt off your back not too long ago."

"In all fairness, I _was_ the reason you needed a new shirt," he laughed.

"I almost forgot that part," she laughed. "My drinks are on you."

"The whole meal is on me," he smiled. "I gave them my card when they brought the food.

"You didn't have to do that!" she exclaimed, putting a hand on his arm. She seemed to surprise herself with the gesture and she quickly pulled her hand away.

"Of course I did," he shrugged. "What kind of gentleman would I be if I let anyone else pay?"

"This just means I'm gonna owe you again," she said.

He smiled at her and winked, "If you say so."

* * *

_9:30 P.M._

Jordan put her arms around herself, leaning forward in her chair. Her stomach was churning thanks to Jason's damn cold medicine. She hadn't had much to eat so the liquid was just making her nauseous. He'd asked someone to get her a sandwich but that was almost an hour earlier and it hadn't showed up yet so it probably wasn't going to. Her face was starting to feel hot and they still had a half hour to go. She grabbed a pen and scribbled a quick note to Jason: _BRB. Cover for me._

She quietly turned her microphone off and slipped off her headphones as Jason showed the note to Matt and they both nodded and waved for her to go. Fortunately the bathrooms were behind where they were recording so she didn't have to wade through the large group of people listening to the show. As she made her way toward the bathroom she had a strange feeling, almost like the floor was moving beneath her. She shook her head but that only seemed to make it worse. Now the walls didn't seem steady. Everything was swaying. It was barely noticeable but definitely there. She opened the bathroom door and felt as if the floor lurched beneath her, causing her to stumble to the sink. She gripped the edge tightly with her left hand, turning on the faucet with her right, making sure the water was as cold as possible. Cupping her hand beneath it, she leaned down, resting her forearms on the sink so she could use both hands to get more water. When her hands were full, she submerged her face, the cold water making her skin tingle. The dizziness only became worse though. She gripped the sink again, with both hands this time and took a deep breath.

She looked at herself in the mirror and the only thought that came to mind was that the new waterproof mascara she'd just bought was doing a good job so far. Then, before her mind could process anything else: everything went black.

* * *

_The Next Morning…_

"Does that hurt?" Colt asked, poking Phil in the forearm when they stopped at a red light.

Phil jumped, glaring at his friend. They had just left the tattoo parlor and Phil's arm was still wrapped up. He'd gotten the outline on one of his tattoos touched up.

"It hurts when you poke it," he said. "Asshole."

"Sorry," Colt laughed as he turned onto Phil's street, double parking in front of his building. "I believe this is your stop."

"Thanks for the ride," he patted Colt on the top of the head. "I'll see you tonight."

"See you later buddy," Colt waved as he exited the car. Phil jogged up the stairs to his door and unlocked it, dropping his wallet and keys on the table by the door. He walked into the living room, turned on the TV for noise and then walked into the kitchen. He looked into the refrigerator, frowning at the lack of food. He had plenty of water bottles but not much else. He was going to have to go to the store but it could wait. He walked over to the drawer where he kept take out menus, sifting through dozens of options as WGN news droned on in the background.

"In further news, we have an update on the condition of WSCR: The Score radio host Jordan Wyatt."

Phil was in front of the TV in record time, menus forgotten, turning up the volume.

"We received word that Ms. Wyatt is in stable condition at a suburban hospital after losing consciousness during a recording of her popular radio show last night. According to colleagues, the 25 year old had been feeling ill for most of the day and excused herself from recording, just before passing out in the bathroom of the Naperville sports bar where the taping was held. We wish Miss Wyatt a speedy recovery."

Phil fumbled around, reaching into his pockets trying to remember where the hell he put his phone. He and Jordan hadn't spoken since Monday and the last text he sent her went unanswered. He knew if she was in the hospital she wasn't going to be answering her phone so once he found his, he called Jason's number, pacing as he waited for an answer. By the time Jason picked up, his stomach had twisted itself into a rather uncomfortable knot.

"Hey man," Jason's voice sounded tired.

"How is she?" Phil asked quickly.

"She's okay," Jason sighed. "I can't really talk right now."

"What hospital are you at?" Phil asked, turning off the TV and walking toward his front door, picking up the keys he'd just discarded.

"Edward," he explained. "In Naperville."

"I'll be there in an hour."

* * *

**Don't forget to review!**


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18…**

Phil walked up to the nurse's station, waiting as patiently as he could manage while the woman behind the desk finished up a conversation with a doctor. Jason had sent him a text telling him where to go. He had gone to get breakfast. Unfortunately, Jason gave him the floor but not the room number. Once the woman was done, she turned to him, smiling softly, "How can I help you?"

"I'm looking for Jordan Wyatt."

"Her doctor's in her room right now. She can't have any visitors right now."

The booming voice he heard definitely did not belong to the small woman in front of him. He turned around and looked up to meet the man's face. There was no mistaking who he was: Harry Cartwright. He was 6'7" and looked like he could still suit up and play in the NFL. His skin was darker than Jordan and Wesley's and he had very close cropped black hair and a goatee that were both just beginning to gray. His eyes were the same warm brown as Jordan's. Those eyes were narrowed at Phil in suspicion and he put his hands on his hips, his square jaw clenched.

Phil could hear the nurse behind him shuffle away and he couldn't blame her. He knew when he was being sized up so he kept his shoulders square and his chin high. He offered his hand, "Phil Brooks. I'm a friend of Jordan's."

Harry looked down at Phil's hand and then back at his face, "Are you the new boyfriend?"

Phil wasn't exactly sure how to answer that question. He wasn't about to come out and say 'Hi, nice to meet you, I've been sleeping with your daughter.'

"I uh..I wasn't aware she had a boyfriend," he said. "We're friends."

Harry's shoulders seemed to relax slightly and he let his hands fall from his hips, "I apologize, I'm a little on edge today."

"That's understandable," Phil nodded.

"Jordan told her brother that some asshole she likes upset her a couple days ago," Harry said, walking over to sit in one of the waiting room chairs. They were clearly not made for someone his size and he didn't look even remotely comfortable.

"What uh..what makes you think the guy's an asshole?" Phil asked, scratching behind his ear.

"My daughter likes to say that she doesn't have a type but she does," Harry gave a wry smile. "Idiots and assholes. She's like a damn magnet."

Phil laughed, "That explains Dex."

"Yes it does," Harry laughed. He held out his hand, "I didn't properly introduce myself. Harry Cartwright."

"Nice to meet you," Phil shook his hand.

A beautiful older woman wearing purple scrubs with her dark hair twisted back into a loose bun walked into the waiting area and smiled at Harry. Phil thought for a moment that she was Jordan's doctor but then she took a seat beside Harry, taking one of his large hands in both of hers.

"How is she?" Harry asked.

"She's Jordan," the woman smiled fondly. "She tried to charm that poor doctor into sending her home _now_. When he said no, she turned on SportsCenter and started ignoring him. Wouldn't say another word."

"Stubborn as a god damn mule," Harry shook his head, squeezing the woman's hands. He seemed to remember Phil's presence and nodded in his direction, "Phil, this is my wife Grace. Grace, this is Jordan's friend Phil."

"Oh, Jason told me you were coming," she said, walking over and shaking his hand. "It's very nice to meet you. I've seen you on TV."

"Nice to meet you too," he smiled, feeling warmed by her presence. She practically radiated maternal love.

"Excuse the ensemble," she laughed, sitting in one of the seats between Harry and Phil. "I just finished a shift."

"Grace works at Northwestern," Harry explained. "I still think we should have her moved there."

"Honey, that really isn't necessary," Grace laughed. "Jordan's just fine where she is."

"So do they know what happened?" Phil asked.

"Exhaustion and dehydration," Grace explained. "Not enough sleep, not enough food. When she passed out she took a pretty good knock on the head as well. The doctor thinks she has a concussion. She was on IV fluids overnight, should be able to go home this evening."

Phil felt a strange sense of relief. Exhaustion and Dehydration wasn't good but it was easy to fix. He had come up with a thousand things that could be wrong on the drive there. It was good to know his fears were wrong.

"I apologize again for being a little rough when you first got here," Harry said warmly. "I'm not in the best mood after my daughter conspired with my lovely wife here to try and keep me from finding out about this."

Grace rolled her eyes dramatically, "Jordan and I both knew you were going to overreact and come all the way down here from Bourbonnais. Which you did."

"Damn right I did. That's my little girl," Harry said. "And you shouldn't encourage her to keep things like this from me."

"She was going to tell you," Grace insisted. "She just wanted to wait until she was able to go home. Now why don't you go lecture her and not me?"

Harry sighed deeply and stood up, looking over at Phil, "You can go in and see her after I'm done threatening to kill her for not taking care of herself. Okay?"

"Sounds good," Phil nodded.

When Harry was gone Grace laughed, "He acts all big and bad but that girl has had him wrapped around her finger from day one. He's gonna go in there and she'll pout and he won't be able to say a single harsh word."

"He seemed pretty pissed," Phil laughed.

"He's really a teddy bear," Grace smirked. "And I've already given her a hell of a talking to so it's okay if he waffles."

Phil could hear a hint of a southern accent the more he talked to Grace. He searched her face to see if maybe Jordan looked more like her than her father but the only similarity he saw was their lighter skin tone.

"I can't get too mad at her," Grace said, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "She gets it from her father. Career comes first. Never turn down work. Always go above and beyond. Better and smarter and faster than everyone else."

"She works very hard," Phil agreed.

"And she's great at what she does," Grace smiled proudly. "Just like you're great at what you do."

"Thank you."

"I just want her to be _happy_ and _healthy_," Grace sighed. "She normally takes good care of herself. I just worry that this new job may be too much for her."

Phil tried to give her a reassuring smile. "She's still getting used to the schedule and she's had a hiccup but you shouldn't be too worried. She's gonna be okay. And I'll keep an eye on her."

Grace smiled, reaching over and patting him on the hand, "Thank you."

* * *

Jordan looked up at the ceiling, counting the ceiling tiles for the third time. She hated hospitals with a passion, always had, and if she couldn't leave soon she was going to lose her mind. She'd already endured lectures from her father, her step-mother, and the doctor plus a lengthy phone call with Arden where she had to convince her friend not to fly in from California. She was tired and just wanted to go home. She certainly wasn't getting any rest in a hospital bed.

There was a light knock on the door and she sighed deeply, preparing herself for the next round of scolding. Jason hadn't been in the room in a while.

"Come in," she called.

When the door opened she was balling up a piece of paper to throw at Jason. To her surprise, when the door opened, the first thing she saw was a familiar tattooed hand.

As Phil walked into the room, she put down her paper weapon and pushed her glasses up on her nose.

"Hey," he smiled at her. He laughed, pointing at her paper ball, "What were you planning on doing with that?"

"I thought you were someone else," she shrugged. "What are you doing here?"

"I heard you were in here causing trouble," he said, pulling the visitor's chair close to the side of the bed.

She resisted the urge to cover her face in embarrassment. It was bad enough that she'd gotten herself into this position but the fact that it happened in the middle of a show meant that there was no way to keep it a secret. She wasn't a child, she knew how to take care of herself, she'd just been busier than ever the last few weeks and apparently she'd let nutrition fall by the wayside.

His eyes landed on the bandage on her forehead, "How bad?"

"3 stitches," she answered. "Enough to hurt, but not enough to be bad ass."

"I think it looks very bad ass," he said, sitting on the edge of her bed instead of the chair.

"You really didn't have to come," she said, tucking her hair behind her ear. "I'm totally fine."

"Yeah well..I wanted to see that for myself," he said, touching the back of her hand. He looked at her with concern, his hazel eyes searching hers, "Jordan, I care about you. I'm sorry if I've done anything to make it seem like I don't."

"Oh God, you don't think this was about you, do you?" she said, mortified. She covered her face with her hands, unable to bear the thought. She prayed his ego wasn't that big.

"No," he laughed. "I don't think you're starving yourself over me. I do think I've been kind of an ass though."

"Who told you that?" she smirked, daring to meet his eyes again.

"What makes you think someone had to tell me?" he asked.

She raised an eyebrow, not answering his question.

"Colt may have pointed it out to me," he admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. "I kinda wish _you_ would have. We're _friends_ if nothing else. I don't want you to feel like you can't talk to me. Plus, I _really_ hate it when Colt is right."

"I'm not really big on talking about my feelings," she admitted, toying with the edge of her blanket. "It makes me itch."

"Well I can't read your mind," he said. "So if something's wrong, you have to tell me. You may not have noticed this but…I get a little self-involved sometimes."

"You?" she feigned shock and they both laughed.

She sighed, looking at his face again, slightly in shadow under his ever-present, filthy Cubs hat.

"I was just starting to feel…" she took a deep breath, trying to shake the feeling that she was being silly. He wanted to know how she felt. "I guess it just seemed like you weren't really concerned about my feelings. I get that you don't want drama with Beth and that's fine, neither do I. But that doesn't mean that I want to be treated like a Real Doll."

He laughed a little at her reference to the sex toy and she playfully slapped his hand, "I'm serious."

"I know you are, and I'm sorry," he said sincerely. "I swear I will never treat you like a Real Doll again."

"Pinky swear?" she smirked, holding up her little finger.

He laughed, "I don't think pinky swears and Real Dolls go together."

* * *

John pulled his truck to a stop in front of the house, stifling a yawn. He had exactly one day to be home and he needed to drop off some clothes, pick up new ones, and hopefully, get a little bit of sleep. He pressed the garage door opener but the door didn't move. He tried pressing it again two more times and still nothing. He rolled his eyes, getting out of the car to open it manually. He heard a noise and turned, spotting his neighbor Janet, tending to her gigantic garden. She was always bringing flowers over for Ashley. Once, when Ashley had a cold, John came home to find their bedroom so full of roses he couldn't stand to stay there. He slept on the couch downstairs to get away from the overpowering smell. She was a nice woman though and her kids were big fans. He waved her way and when she saw the gesture, she frowned and then looked away quickly. John shrugged, walking to the garage door and typing in the passcode. It didn't work and he sighed, walking around to the front door and unlocking it.

He walked through the entryway, pleased that the house was quiet for once. It seemed like every time he came home there was construction going on and he couldn't get a moment's peace. This time, Ashley had assured him that she would be at her mother's so he would have the house to himself. He walked into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator, pushing past what seemed like a hundred bottles of vitamin water, Ashley's favorite, until he found a bottle of water. When he closed the door, he found himself looking at his wife's face.

"Shit!" He dropped the water bottle, startled. "What are you doing here?"

"I live here," she shrugged, brushing past him and opening the fridge, pulling out one of her Vitamin Waters.

"You said you were going to be at your mom's," he reminded her. "Last I checked, your mother doesn't live here."

"I changed my mind," she shrugged. "Decided I'd rather be here."

He sighed, picking up his water and opening it, "Do you have any idea why Janet gave me the cold shoulder out there?"

"I don't know," she shrugged. "But she _was_ awfully sympathetic when she found out you were cheating on me. Maybe it has something to do with that."

John narrowed his eyes, his shoulders growing tense, "You told her that bullshit?"

"You and I both know it's not bullshit," she glared back at him.

"How many times do I have to tell you I _am not_ cheating on you?" he asked. "The divorce isn't about that."

"Then what is it about John?" she asked angrily. She crossed her arms over her chest, "If it's not that, then what the hell is it about?"

"It's about the fact that we aren't right for each other," he said angrily. "And we probably never were."

She flinched as if his words had struck her. He felt guilty but at the same time, he meant what he said. He couldn't keep having the same conversation, the same fight with her.

"You want the house to yourself?" she picked up her car keys. "Fine. Enjoy yourself."

She stormed out of the room and he sighed, leaning over the island. He heard the door slam so hard he hoped she hadn't broken it. He heard the garage door open and moments later, her car peeled out of the driveway. He couldn't wait until this emotional rollercoaster was over. He didn't want to say hurtful things to her, he didn't want to fight. He just wanted it to be over.

He picked up his keys, walking toward the front door. At least she left the garage door up.

* * *

Sunday…

Phil set down the bags he carried from Whole Foods, knocking on Jordan's door. He probably should have called first but he hadn't actually planned on going to her house when he left his. He went to the grocery store that morning and while he was there, it dawned on him that she was probably alone and he didn't like the thought of it. If he knew her, she was probably doing too much and not resting nearly enough. He heard her feet shuffling toward the door and when it opened, her brown eyes were wide with surprise. He shook his head, chuckling at her appearance. She wore a purple and yellow Chili Peppers shirt that stopped mid-thigh and her dark curls were piled messily on top of her head. She was wearing a different pair of glasses than the day before. These were the same color purple as her shirt and had slid down to the end of her nose.

"How many of these do you have?" he laughed, pointing to her shirt.

"More than I should probably admit," she answered, tilting her head and looking up at him. "What are you doing here?"

"Mrs. Davis let me in," he smiled. "She really likes me."

"I know, she always asks about you," Jordan smiled, opening the door wider and allowing him inside. "You didn't answer my question. What are you doing here?"

"Believe it or not, I actually have the day off," he said, picking up the bags and walking past her into the kitchen. "And I thought you might be working."

"You thought I might be working, so you decided to come and bother me?" she laughed, following behind him.

"I decided to come and remind you that you're supposed to be resting," he said, beginning to unpack the bags. "And to make you chicken soup."

She walked over to him, placing her hand gently over his forehead.

He raised an eyebrow at her, "What are you doing?"

"Checking you for a fever," she smirked, letting her hand fall. "Something must be wrong. The Phil Brooks I know wouldn't do something as sappy as making soup for a girl."

"Well then I guess that proves that you don't know me that well," he said.

"I guess you're right," she said, sitting on a barstool. "Sometimes I forget we haven't actually known each other that long."

He could understand what she meant. He was guilty of the same thing. That definitely contributed to the miscommunications they'd experienced so far. He assumed she knew what he was thinking and vice versa.

"This is really sweet of you," she said, pulling down the hem of her t-shirt. "But I don't like chicken soup."

Phil came around the island and stood in front of her, smiling, "You'll like this one."

He didn't know for sure that she would like it but he was pretty confident in his ability to do just about anything so he figured the soup had a pretty high chance of being successful. He probably should have done some research before deciding what to make her but it was too late now.

"Have you ever even made this before?" she laughed.

He put his hands on either side of her barstool, giving her a stern look. Their eyes were locked for a few seconds before she started giggling, drawing a laugh from him, "No, I haven't. But it can't be that hard, right?"

"For you?" she raised an eyebrow. "I don't know."

"Shut up," he pushed her glasses up on her nose. She was acting normal but he could tell by looking at her that she was still not feeling one hundred percent. Her eyes looked a little red and tired and he noticed that her hands seemed shaky. The stern expression returned to his face as he spoke again, "Now you can sit there and watch if you want but you're not allowed to help."

"This is _my_ kitchen," she laughed.

"Not for the rest of the day it's not," he shrugged.

"Fine," she rolled her eyes. "I'll just go finish what I was writing."

"No you will not," Phil pointed at her. He _knew_ she was working. "You do know what _rest_ means, right?"

"Yes, and do you know what _deadline_ means?" she smiled.

He considered arguing with her, reminding her that working too much was what caused her to end up in the hospital but then he remembered her father's apt assessment. She was stubborn as a mule and obviously had been all of her 25 years. He wasn't about to change that.

"How much do you have left?" he asked

"Just finishing touches," she insisted. "I'll be done in 15 minutes."

"Fine, 15 minutes," he pointed. "After that you're gonna be lazy and eat in front of the TV like a normal person."

She smiled, "You have my word."

She walked out of the kitchen and he set about figuring out where she kept her cooking utensils. The pots and pans were at least easy to find, hanging from a chrome pot rack affixed to the ceiling. He got the feeling he was being watched and he looked over his shoulder. Jordan was leaning against the door frame.

"Didn't I send you away?" he walked over to her, placing a hand on her waist.

"You did," she nodded. "You know, you don't have to wait on me. I'm sure you have better things to do on your day off. I'm totally fine."

"I'm doing exactly what I want to," he said quickly and honestly. He moved his hand around to her back and pulled her close. He resisted the urge to kiss her lips, instead placing a kiss on her forehead. He didn't want her to think that he was there for sex. She gave him a puzzled look and he shrugged, "You should feel special. I would never do this for my Real Doll."

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed the double update. I am hard at work on the next chapter. ****Please take a minute to review if you can. The more reviews I get, the more motivated I will be to post the next chapter. Thanks!**

**Preview for Chapter 19...  
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**Arden is torn when she gets two interesting offers for the same night  
**

**John confides in Jordan  
**


	19. Chapter 19

**I apologize for the lack of updates, I've been very busy and also very sick. This was originally planned to be a double update but I haven't been able to finish Chapter 20 yet and I wanted to at least get one of the chapters up so you guys have something to read. Hope you enjoy! Big thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. I get so excited to read what you all think about the story. It's a really fantastic motivater. I'm about halfway through the next chapter and I will post it ASAP. Until then, please remember to review!  
**

***Note - Shout out to KateKayfabe for pointing out that in my sleepy posting of this chapter, I didn't notice that I'd referred to _Bryan_ as _Daniel_. The problem has been fixed!  
**

**Chapter 19…**

_Monday…_

"It's good to be back," Randy said, dropping his gym bag on the floor as he and John walked into their dressing room.

"Can you please try to keep yourself out of trouble this time?" John asked. It sounded like a simple request but for Randy, it wasn't always that easy. He could be his own worst enemy.

"You have better things to worry about," Randy reminded him. "Like Ashley's potential to go all Glenn Close on you."

"Alex Forrest," John corrected.

Randy gave him a puzzled look.

"Alex Forrest is the character Glenn Close plays in Fatal Attraction," John explained. "Anyway, she's not gonna be boiling any rabbits anytime soon."

"Doesn't mean she isn't gonna keep trying to make your life hell," Randy shrugged.

"This is extremely comforting," John smiled. "Thank you."

"Sorry," Randy apologized. "I'll change the subject."

"That would be appreciated."

"How's Jordan doing?"

John rolled his eyes when he saw the amused look on Randy's face, "I told you we're just friends."

"Nobody said anything different," Randy shrugged. "I was just wondering how she's doing."

John shrugged, "I don't really know. I haven't seen her around lately."

"Why don't you call her?"

"I don't have her number," John shrugged.

He was actually wondering where she was the night before. He could have used someone to have a drink with. He was getting used to seeing her and Arden and their camera crew around. He hoped everything was okay.

* * *

Phil walked into the dressing room, pulling his headphones out of his ears. He groaned inwardly when he saw that he would be changing with John and Randy. He didn't strongly dislike either man but he wasn't really in a chatty mood and both of them usually liked to talk.

"Hey man," John nodded to him.

He offered both of them a quick wave before setting down his bags.

"No 'Welcome back Randy' or 'Oh how I've missed you'?" Randy asked, throwing up his hands. "What the hell?"

"I saw you like two weeks ago, remember?" Phil asked. They hadn't really crossed paths the previous Monday, Randy's first night back.

"That was in a different context," Randy pointed.

Phil shook his head, unzipping his gym bag, "Welcome back man."

"Thank you," Randy smiled.

Phil was about to put his headphones back on when he noticed John coming closer to him. He probably wanted to talk about their promo, which was supposed to start the show.

"Hey, is uh..is everything okay with Jordan?" John asked, sitting down on a bench a few feet away.

Phil frowned, surprised at the question, "Why?"

"I didn't see her or Arden around this weekend," John shrugged. "I just wanted to make sure she didn't get future endeavored and I just didn't hear about it."

Phil briefly considered not telling him anything at all but a quick internet search could give him an answer so he figured he might as well say something.

"She wasn't feeling well so she took some time off," Phil explained. "She covered Lollapalooza over the weekend. She should be back today."

"Oh, okay," John nodded, his curiosity seemingly satisfied.

"So you two are pretty close, right?" Randy asked, opening a bottle of water.

Phil shrugged, "We're friends. Why?"

He wasn't sure where this line of questioning was going but, knowing Randy, he probably wasn't going to like it.

"Just curious," Randy shrugged. "She's single, right?"

Phil frowned again, annoyed at the question. He'd heard Randy had grown out of his slutty phase and was staying faithful to his wife so he didn't have any reason to be asking about Jordan.

"Last I heard, you weren't," Phil reminded him.

"I wasn't asking for me," Randy laughed. "A couple of the other guys were wondering. Probably more than a couple, actually."

"Feel free to ignore him," John instructed.

Phil shrugged again, hoping to effectively give off an air of nonchalance, "She just got out of a really long relationship. You can tell whoever's asking that she's not really looking."

* * *

Jordan laughed as Arden snored loudly beside her. The redhead had slept like a baby through the whole flight to San Antonio and barely made it to the rental car before she fell back to sleep. She couldn't blame her. Lollapalooza weekend had been amazing and completely exhausting. Jordan had a bunch of free three day passes since she was covering the festival for the Tribune so Arden, Jason, and a few other friends were able to take in the whole festival with her. Jordan had been going to the festival for years but Arden was clearly not prepared for the weekend long party. She was completely tuckered out. They didn't have time to stop at the hotel first since they opted to take a late morning flight. Jordan let Arden sleep as long as she could but once she pulled the car into a spot at the AT&T Center, she had to wake her up.

She got out of the car first, gathering the bags they needed to bring inside with them. Then, she opened the passenger side door and touched her friend's shoulder, speaking softly, "Arden. Time to get up."

Arden made a grumbling noise and the turned further into the car, still sound asleep.

Jordan laughed, shaking her head and then shaking Arden's shoulder again, "Ginge. Come on honey."

"Hey! Jordan's back!"

Jordan looked over her shoulder, waving when she saw Bryan and Stephen heading her way.

"_My God_ your beard looks even more amazing than the last time I saw it," Jordan smiled at Bryan as they approached the car.

"Where have you been?" Bryan asked, giving her a quick hug.

"Partying like a rock star," she quipped. "Hence my passed out groupie here."

"Is she alright?" Stephen asked, leaning over to look.

"I think so," Jordan shrugged. "But I can't seem to wake her up. And we really need to get a move on."

Stephen put down his gym bag, "You want me to carry her inside?"

"That could work."

* * *

Arden felt the warm sensation of a hand sliding behind her back and she leaned against it, shutting her eyes tighter, trying to push herself deeper into sleep. Then she felt herself being lifted and her head rested against something very solid. It felt like a dream so at first, she enjoyed it, breathing in a fresh, soapy scent. Then, a breeze blew some of her hair across her face, tickling her nose and her eyes opened. She gasped when she found herself looking at Stephen's face. She quickly put her arms around his neck, fearing that she might fall. He smiled down at her, "There she is."

She looked down at the ground and then gripped his t-shirt, drawing a laugh from him, "You honestly think I'm gonna drop you?"

"Why are you carrying me?" she asked, completely confused and not 100 percent sure she was awake.

"We couldn't seem to wake you up," he explained, gently setting her down on her feet, keeping his hand close to keep her steady. "You okay?"

She looked down at the skinny red jeans and white t-shirt she'd worn on the flight. Very professional.

"I'm just really tired," she spoke through a yawn. "And I should probably go change."

"I think you look just fine," he assured her.

She gave him an incredulous look and he chuckled, "Okay, you look like you've had a rough couple days but not in a bad way."

"Thank you for your honesty," she laughed, pulling down the sunglasses that she'd pushed up on top of her head and covering her tired eyes.

"Follow me, I know what you need," he offered her his arm. "There's about 20 different kinds of coffee in the catering tent. I'm sure one of them has your name on it."

"That sounds glorious," she smiled. She pointed down at the arm he'd offered, "What's this? You're not gonna carry me this time?"

"Well I can if you want me to," he shrugged, and moved to scoop her into his arms.

"I was just kidding," she laughed, patting his enormous arm. "This will do just fine."

* * *

Jordan rolled her eyes, looking up from her phone. She was trying to think of a nice way to tell her brother that she didn't want to meet the new girlfriend he was so excited to introduce her to because, knowing him, she would be his ex girlfriend within a month. Wesley was a wonderful guy and always treated the women he dated like gold..until football season started. Then _all_ of his focus was on work and his relationships took a backseat until the women ended up dumping him which, somehow, always came as a surprise to Wes. She looked into the mirror, watching as Felicia, her newly hired hair stylist/makeup artist, took small sections of hair, sprayed them, and curled them with an incredibly hot iron. She'd tried explaining to Felicia that her hair was naturally curly but the other woman had insisted that she was looking for a different type of curl and started pulling at her hair. Jordan wasn't exactly pleased but Dylan had insisted that she give the stylist a chance, especially since she had already been paid. She made a mental note to find out how much Dante, her stylist from home, made. Maybe she could convince him to work with her a few days a week. She adored him and he never said anything insulting about her hair.

She heard a light knock on the door and quickly called for whoever it was to come in. She was getting stir crazy since Felicia didn't like to talk while she worked. She smiled when she saw John lean into the room in one of his ridiculous green t-shirts. He looked like an overgrown leprechaun; a handsome one, but a leprechaun all the same.

"Hey," she waved as he walked in, closing the door behind him.

"Long time no see," he said. He nodded to Felicia who looked like she was desperately searching for something to say. "I'm John. Nice to meet you."

"Hi, I'm Felicia," she smiled and Jordan raised an eyebrow, wondering when the other woman's voice had gotten deep and breathy like that. All of a sudden she was Lauren Bacall. "It's so nice to meet you. I look forward to working with you."

"Thanks," John smiled, looking a little confused. He sat on the couch that was off to Jordan's right, "So what's up?"

"Not a whole lot," Jordan shrugged. She looked up at the stylist who was dangerously close to burning off a piece of her hair because she was too busy staring at John, "Felicia, could you excuse us please?"

"I'm almost done," the young woman said quickly.

"I know," Jordan smiled sweetly. "We'll just be a few minutes. Thank you."

Felicia put down her curling iron but she was clearly not pleased about it. She gave John a saccharine sweet smile before turning and walking to the door.

"Seriously, I have got to add some criteria to the screening process for my female staff if you and I are gonna be friends," Jordan shook her head. "No more Cena fans."

"I'm afraid I can't approve of that type of discrimination," John frowned, shaking his head.

"You hire them then," Jordan said. "Let them burn your hair off."

"I'll think about that," he laughed. "So how've you been? Phil said you weren't feeling well."

"Yeah, I spent a night in the hospital," she admitted and then mentally kicked herself. She could have just stuck with 'not feeling well'.

"Are you okay?" John asked, concern furrowing his brow. "What happened?"

"Nothing serious, really," she insisted. "I'm just an idiot."

She tried to laugh it off but he seemed to be waiting for a real answer. She shrugged, picking up a brush and running it through her hair, "I probably should have listened a little better when you told me not to spread myself too thin."

He sighed knowingly, "Exhaustion or dehydration?"

"Both," she admitted. "I passed out at an on site. Whacked my head on a bathroom sink."

"Ouch," he winced.

"Yup," she laughed. "They gave me IV fluids and I got a lot of rest. I feel much better now."

"That's good," he said. "Have you eaten yet today?"

She shook her head, "No, I haven't really had time."

He gave her a disapproving look.

"It's only noon," she said defensively.

"Exactly," he laughed. "You should be on your _second _meal of the day by now."

"You sound very much like my step mother right now and I do not like it," she pointed.

"How many times a day do you eat?" he asked.

"As many as I have time for," she laughed, crossing her arms over her chest. He gave her a look and she shrugged, "I try to eat twice. I never eat breakfast and yes, I know it's the 'most important meal of the day', but I don't really care. I hate eating in the morning."

"Well you're gonna have to start," he said. "Your body needs the fuel."

"My body is just fine thank you," she put her hands on her hips.

"It's great, trust me," he said. "But if you don't take care if it, it isn't gonna do you any good."

"Okay, I'll make you a deal. You buy me breakfast every morning and I'll eat it," she teased, putting down her brush.

He shrugged, not missing a beat, "How about once a week?"

"I was joking John," she laughed.

"I'm not," he smiled. "I can't run the risk that your dad might blame me if you get sick again."

"You people and my dad," Jordan rolled her eyes.

"Seriously, breakfast, once a week. What do you say?" he asked.

She smiled, realizing that he was serious. She couldn't think of a reason to say no to a standing date with a friend.

"Okay," she smiled. "Why not?"

* * *

_Did you ever know that you're my hero?_

Phil laughed as he read the text from Colt. He typed _You're everything I wish I could be_ and sent it as he walked into the catering tent. As he put his phone back in his pocket, he spotted Bryan, Stephen, Arden, and Stu.

"What'd you walk in here smiling about?" Bryan asked as he reached the table. "Did you get a love note from Colt?"

"I did actually," Phil smirked. "Don't be jealous."

"I'll try my best," Bryan laughed.

Phil surveyed the table and noticed that Arden didn't look as put together as usual. Her hair was messy and her sunglasses were a little crooked.

"Rough weekend?" he asked her.

She nodded, taking a sip of the coffee in front of her, "Not sure if I need to do all three days of Lollapalooza next year. Not when I have to work on Monday."

"Where's your degenerate host?" he asked.

"I don't know," Arden answered. "I lost her when Stephen was carrying me earlier."

Phil raised an eyebrow, looking over at his Irish friend.

Stephen shrugged, "She was asleep."

"She was talking to John and AJ when I came out here," Stu explained.

Phil wanted to continue questioning Stephen and Arden but he was interrupted by an incredibly loud buzzing sound. Everyone turned in the direction of the building. Phil got up and his friends followed his lead out of the tent and into the lot where the equipment trucks were. There was a steady stream of people filing out of the building. When he spotted AJ, he waved her over.

"Oh thank God, an authority figure," Stu said dramatically.

"What's going on?" Bryan asked.

"There was a fire when they were testing the pyro," AJ explained. "They're making everybody leave."

"Where's Jordan?" Arden asked.

"She was right behind me," AJ said, looking around.

"There she is," Stu pointed toward the door. Phil followed his friend's gaze and spotted Jordan coming out of the building. She was walking with Stephanie and Hunter. Stephanie was smiling from ear to ear and had her arm looped through Jordan's. Phil couldn't explain why but the sight gave him an almost uneasy feeling in his stomach.

"Uh oh," Bryan said. "Looks like our little fish is getting caught in the corporate net."

* * *

Cody surveyed the crowd as everyone waited to go back into the building. He couldn't understand why they had to evacuate because of a completely controlled fire but it had gotten him out of a grossly uninteresting conversation with Eve so he didn't totally mind. He was standing beside Nick who was too busy tweeting from his cell phone to pay attention to anything else so he took the time to people watch. He frowned when his eyes fell on Arden. She was standing between Stephen and Phil, all of them laughing at something Bryan and AJ seemed to be playfully arguing about. He thought back to the conversation he had about her with Stephen. He couldn't believe she'd sent someone to scold him.

"What's up with you?"

He was startled out of his thoughts by Nick who was apparently done with Twitter for the moment.

"That," Cody pointed to Arden.

"What?" Nick looked confused.

"Arden," Cody frowned. "Who the hell does she think she is?"

"I don't know, maybe the woman you spread a stupid lie about?" Nick suggested. "You need to lay off, she hasn't done anything to you."

"She went and cried to Stephen about me," Cody reminded the other man.

"You don't even know if she did that," Nick said. "And if she did, so what? You deserved it. I don't get your issue with her. Arden's really cool."

"You mean frigid," Cody rolled his eyes.

"I meant what I said," Nick looked irritated. "Not being interested in you doesn't make a woman frigid. It makes her smart. You need to grow up."

Before Cody could defend himself, Nick walked away, his attention shifted back to his phone.

* * *

11:30PM

"I don't understand how it's possible that you've _never_ seen Clueless," Jordan shook her head.

"She's right, it's super weird," AJ pointed at Arden with a box of microwave popcorn she'd gotten in the hotel gift shop. "Everyone's seen Clueless."

"I didn't watch a lot of movies growing up," Arden shrugged, laughing. They had come across the DVD in the gift shop while Jordan was looking for a shot glass to buy for her brother. Jordan and AJ had gone back and forth quoting the movie. When they realized that Arden was completely lost, they bought a copy, mandating that they would watch it that night and she would love it or else. They were now headed to Jordan's room with the movie, AJ's popcorn, and a bag full of candy.

One of the doors they were passing opened and Arden spotted Nick's platinum hair. He was wearing a black t-shirt and sweatpants, a white towel draped over his shoulder. Even in the loose clothes, she couldn't help but admire his frame. He seemed to be searching for something in his pockets, his eyes on his door. She heard AJ talking and she quickly looked away from Nick, not wanting to seem like she was ogling him.

"Hey guys."

The three women stopped when Nick spoke, all turning and facing him.

"Ziggles," Jordan smiled.

"You call him that too?" AJ laughed.

Nick laughed, amused, "What are you guys up to?"

"Arden here has never seen Clueless," Jordan explained. "The plan is to remedy that."

"And get sugar highs?" he pointed to the candy bag Arden was carrying.

"That too," AJ confirmed.

"I almost forgot, Natalie made me promise to tell you she says 'Hi'," Nick smiled at Arden. "She really wants us all to hang out when we're in town for Summerslam."

"Sure, that would be fun," Arden smiled.

"Cool," he said. "I should let you guys get to your movie. I'm heading down to the gym."

"Overachiever," AJ made a face at him.

He laughed, shaking his head, "Night ladies."

He was a few feet away when he turned around, "Hey Arden?"

"Yeah?"

"Are you busy tomorrow night after the show?"

Arden was caught off guard by the question and unsure of how to answer it. She looked over at Jordan and AJ. Jordan looked like she was trying to stifle a smile. AJ looked impressed. Neither of them offered her any assistance.

She turned back to Nick

"I uh..I'm not sure," she said, resisting the urge to smack herself on the forehead.

"Well let me know," he said. "See you guys later."

He headed toward the elevator and Arden watched him go, confused about what had just happened? Was he about to ask her out?

She was drawn out of her thoughts by the sound of someone clearing their throat behind her.

She turned to face AJ and Jordan.

"What was that about?" Jordan asked, looking as delighted as a kid in a candy store.

"What?" Arden asked. "I don't know."

"He was definitely about to ask you out," AJ smiled.

"No he wasn't," Arden insisted, leading the way down the hall, hoping if they started moving the attention would shift away from her.

"Yes he was," Jordan said, dashing Arden's hopes. "Why'd you say you weren't sure if you had plans? You so don't have any plans."

"I didn't know what to say," Arden insisted. "And I'm sure he wasn't gonna ask me out."

"Then why would he have asked what you were doing tomorrow night?" AJ made a face. "He wasn't gonna ask you to babysit."

Arden could feel her cheeks getting flushed and she shook her head, needing to deflect the attention. She smiled when she saw a perfect out coming right toward them.

She raised her hand and waved, "Hi Phil."

* * *

Jordan looked up when she saw Phil. He was standing in front of the room next to hers, unzipping the front of his gym bag.

"Hey," he waved at them.

"Can't talk too long," AJ said. "There's popcorn to be made."

He laughed, "Well far be it for me to keep you from your snacks."

Jordan got the distinct feeling that he was trying to avoid looking at her for too long. They'd both been busy during the show and had only really seen each other in passing.

"I'm gonna go inside and put this stuff down," Arden took Jordan's room key out of her hand, opening the door.

"Later," AJ waved at Phil before following Arden into the room.

When they were alone in the hallway, Jordan could practically feel the tension between them beginning to fill the air. She had talked to him since the day he made her soup but she hadn't seen him. She'd almost forgotten the effect he could have on her, especially when they were alone. She was drawn to him like a magnet.

"Looks like we're neighbors," she smiled.

"Looks like it. What are you three up to?" he asked, taking a step closer to her, leaning against the wall.

"Not much," she said, putting her hands in her pockets. "We're making Arden watch Clueless."

"_Why_?" he laughed, making a face.

"Because it's awesome," she laughed. "Jerk."

He smiled, "You're obviously feeling better."

"I am," she nodded. "I'm very rested and completely hydrated. Thanks again for the soup."

"Anytime," he laughed. "I told you you'd like it."

"Don't get cocky," she smiled, playfully pushing his shoulder.

"I would never," he smirked.

Jordan found herself staring at his lips and momentarily forgot her friends waiting for her in her room. The longer he stood in front of her, the more she wanted to kiss him, among other things. But she wasn't totally sure where they stood so throwing herself at him was probably not the best plan.

There was a loud banging noise inside Jordan's room, followed by uproarious laughter and the sound of paper ripping.

Jordan rolled her eyes, "I should get in there before they blow up the microwave."

"Probably a good idea," he said. "You wanna grab breakfast in the morning?"

"I would but Arden and I are supposed to have a meeting with Stephanie in the morning. Can you do lunch?"

"No, I've got some radio thing," he answered. "I guess I'll just see you at the show then."

"Yeah," she nodded. "See you then."

* * *

_1:30 AM_

Phil lay in his bed, staring at the ceiling, trying to decide what to do with himself. He wasn't tired enough to sleep. Listening to music had just made him more restless. He couldn't find anything interesting enough on TV. It didn't help matters that Jordan's room was right next to his. Thinking about how close she was did not help him relax. He'd heard Arden and AJ leaving about a half hour earlier and he could still hear the TV on.

He closed his eyes, trying to clear his head. He was drawn out of his thoughts when he heard noise coming from the other side of the wall. It sounded like the bed was bumping into it. He sat up slowly, listening closely. He could faintly hear Jordan grunting.

He ran a hand over his face, trying not to think about what those noises could mean. He tried once again to clear his head but the noises got louder and the thumping grew faster and faster and his curiosity got the better of him. He got out of bed, grabbing his room key from the night stand and put it in his pocket. He walked out his door and over to hers, tapping lightly against it.

"I'm coming!" she called and he could hear her padding toward the door.

When she opened it she looked flustered, "Oh thank goodness. I need you."

Before he could respond, she had grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him into the room.

"You know, you can just call me," he smirked, reaching out to pull her toward him. He hadn't expected her to be quite so aggressive but he liked it.

She quickly turned out of his grasp, stepping up onto the bed, "I have been trying to kill this fly for like 15 minutes. The son of a bitch keeps getting away from me."

"You need me…" he frowned. "To kill a fly?"

She nodded enthusiastically, "Yeah. It's been taunting me for over an hour. I've tried letting it out the window. I've tried trapping it with a cup. Nothing works. So now it's time to die."

"That is not at all what I thought you were doing," he admitted, laughing and climbing up onto the bed with her.

She handed him the pad of paper she'd been using as a weapon, "What did you think I was doing?"

He shrugged, turning his attention to the fly. He swung at it and the bed bumped the wall again. Realization seemed to dawn on Jordan as she gasped behind him, playfully pushing the back of his head, "You're a pervert."

"I don't know what you're talking about," he said, smacking the paper against the wall again three times before successfully killing the fly.

"Oh my God, thank you," she gushed. "You're amazing."

"I do my best," he said as they got down from the bed and he tossed the paper in the garbage can. "So that's really all you were doing?"

"That and watching Vertigo," she explained, pointing toward the TV as she sat down on the bed, resting her back against the headboard

He laughed when he saw the Hitchcock film, plopping down beside her, "I love this movie. The scene where she falls from the bell tower is the cheapest looking thing I've ever seen."

"Dude," she slapped him on the arm. "Spoiler alert."

He felt guilty for a few seconds until her serious expression turned into a Cheshire grin when she realized she'd fooled him.

"I'm kidding, I think I've seen this like 50 times," she admitted, stretching her legs out in front of her. "You're welcome to stay and watch the bell tower scene."

"Damn right I am," he said, putting a pillow behind his back and scooting a little closer to her. "You owe me after the fly massacre."

She laughed, shaking her head, "It's not a massacre if it's only one fly."

About twenty minutes into watching the movie beside her, Phil found himself having trouble keeping his eyes on the TV. He tried to keep his focus on the movie but she was close enough that their shoulders were touching. He could smell the citrusy soap she used and see her ample chest rise and fall as she breathed. Since she'd gotten out of the hospital, he was trying to make sure to show her that he saw her as more than an object. He wanted her to know that he valued her friendship and enjoyed spending time with her. At that moment, though, all he could think about was how long it had been since he'd touched her.

"You're staring at me," she smirked, looking at him out of the corner of her eye.

"No I wasn't," he turned back to the TV.

"Yeah you were," she laughed.

"I will have you know I am very focused on this movie," he laughed. "I almost forgot you were here."

"Oh really?" she looked at him, raising an eyebrow.

"Mmhmm," he said, making a point not to look back at her.

He didn't have to look at her to know the expression on her face. She was not the type of girl to take being ignored well. He could hear her shifting on the bed and then his view of the TV was blocked as she slid one of her long legs over his and straddled his lap.

"Hey," he smiled, tilting his head to look up at her, "I can't see the movie now."

She moved forward on his lap and he bit his bottom lip as he felt her brush against him.

"I don't think you want to," she smiled.

His hands found their way onto her hips, his thumbs brushing the skin just under the hem of her shirt. He kept his eyes on hers. She was looking from his lips to his eyes and back. He placed his hand on the back of her neck, rubbing softly with his thumb. He pulled her a little closer, trying to see how long it would take her to go after what she wanted. He didn't have to wait very long, after a few seconds; she moved forward, kissing him softly. His hand moved to the side of her neck as he parted her lips with his tongue. She deepened the kiss further, her hands gripping his shoulders firmly. His brain clouded over with the feel and smell of her. His hands tangled in her hair as they kissed each other hungrily. She leaned away and when he moved to pull her shirt off, she slipped off of his lap and back to her spot beside him.

"You can go back to watching the movie now," she gave him a smug look, her eyebrow arched high.

"Like hell," he said, picking up the remote and turning off the TV.

"Hey!" she laughed as he tossed the remote off to the side and grabbed her, rolling onto his back and pulling her on top of him.

"I think somebody missed me when I was gone," she smiled down at him.

He pulled her down into long, passionate kiss. When they both pulled away for air he smiled at her, "Maybe."


	20. Chapter 20

**So sorry for the long wait peeps! Hope you're still with me. I've got a lot in store for you, I promise. Hope you enjoy the double update and I'm already hard at work on the next chapter. Thanks again to those who updated, I love getting those review alerts in my email. Keep those coming and I'll keep the story coming!**

**Chapter 20…**

Jordan frowned at herself in the mirror, trying to figure out why her hair was having such a problem doing what she wanted it to. No matter how many times she went over it with her flat iron, the curls just kept coming through. She blamed Felicia and her insane amount of hairspray for warping her hair. Apparently the shower hadn't washed it all out. She walked out of the bathroom, smiling when she saw that Phil was awake. He'd turned the TV on and was flipping through the channels.

"Morning lazy," she said, walking over to her suitcase, looking for something to wear.

"Watch it with the insults," he said. "I will drag you back into this bed."

"That isn't much of a threat," she smirked, admiring his tattooed chest as he leaned back against the headboard. She walked over to pick up her phone from the nightstand. He reached out, wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her against him. She was clad only in a bra and panties and the feel of his skin against hers made her feel a little light headed.

"You're tempted, I can tell," he said.

"Shut up," she laughed, smacking his arm.

"Seriously, why don't you just stay?" he said, kissing the side of her neck. "You and Arden can ride to Houston with me."

"I can't skip out on a meeting with my boss," she said, leaning back against him, unable to pull away from his lips just yet. "Especially not the first one."

"Stephanie isn't your boss," he scoffed, ceasing his attack on her neck. "She doesn't do anything for the network."

"Doesn't matter, her content _is_ my show," she reminded him. "Besides, I _like_ Stephanie. She's been great so far."

She could practically feel him rolling his eyes behind her and she laughed, shaking her head.

"Just be careful," he wrapped his arms around her chest, placing a quick kiss on her shoulder.

"I'm always careful," she said, leaning back with him. "Except that I keep falling into bed with this one guy."

"You should keep doing that," he laughed. "Now would be a good time."

"Down, Brooks," she laughed, sitting up, unwrapping herself from his arms. "I need to get dressed."

"I hate all of the words you just said," he ran his hands over his hair. "I just want you to know that."

"Noted," she smiled, walking over to the closet, pulling out the khaki colored maxi dress she'd hung up the night before.

"So Cena and Orton were asking me if you were single yesterday."

She raised an eyebrow, stepping into her dress and pulling it up, "Why?"

"Why do you think?" he looked at her incredulously.

"They're both _married_ Phil, I don't know," she laughed, walking back to him and turning around. "Zip me please."

"They said they were asking for some of the other guys," he explained, pulling the zipper up for her.

"_Ooh_, I wonder who wanted to know," she looked over her shoulder at him, wiggling her eyebrows.

"Jerk," he laughed, playfully pushing the back of her head.

"You're lucky I need to leave," she pointed at him. "You gonna be here when I get back?"

"Probably not," he said. "I'm gonna head to the gym before we leave. I gotta go a little early for that radio thing."

"Well have fun," she said, kissing him quickly. "Don't sleep with any radio hosts."

"I'll try my best not to," he smirked. "But we both know I have a weakness."

* * *

John tossed his bag down, closing the door behind him. He had gotten up incredibly early and made the drive to Houston. He was positive that he was the first person in the company to check in at the hotel. He was tired but he knew he wasn't going to be able to get any more sleep. He was too stressed out. His mother had called him the night before, wanting to know why Ashley had left him a tearful message, saying that she wanted to talk to her. He hadn't really discussed the divorce with his parents. His father knew they were having problems but neither of his parents knew things had gotten this far.

His phone started buzzing in his pocket and he sighed, pulling it out and looking at the display. His lawyer's name appeared and his heart dropped a bit. It was never a good day when your lawyer was the first person to call you.

"Yeah?" he answered.

"You want the good news or the bad news?" Barry asked.

"Bad news first," John sighed, taking off his hat and tossing it near his bag. He went over and plopped down on the couch.

"Great. I don't actually have any good news," the lawyer admitted. "Ashley and her lawyer are gonna take the divorce public."

"What?"

"They think they're gonna force your hand," Barry explained. "They're threatening to make this thing a public spectacle because they think you'll give her anything she wants to keep this out of the news."

"So what can we do to avoid this?" John asked. All he wanted was for this to be simple and smooth. He wasn't Hulk Hogan, he didn't want his relationship issues to be aired out for all of his fans.

"Well..we can let her take you for all you're worth if that's what you want," Barry offered. "Otherwise, we fight her at every pass. You don't have anything to hide."

"I know but…I just don't want this to turn into a circus," John leaned against the back of the couch, looking up at the ceiling. "So when is she gonna do this?"

"He didn't give me a date," Barry explained. "I think he figured we would waffle. I told him, in a nice way of course, to go fuck himself. When I find out their plan, I'll let you know."

"Great," John said, completely lacking enthusiasm. "What the hell did I do to deserve this?"

"You married the wrong woman," Barry said. "These days everybody does it at least once."

* * *

"I told you Clueless is awesome," Jordan laughed, as she stopped at a red light. She and Arden were on their way to breakfast and she couldn't resist gloating.

"Fine, fine, you were right," Arden smiled. "You're broadening my movie horizons."

"Anybody else broadening your _other_ horizons?" Jordan asked.

"What?" Arden laughed.

"I don't know, I have to ask," Jordan said. "You're off hanging out with Nick and not telling anybody."

"It was nothing," Arden shook her head. "I was having dinner with Allison and he was there with his cousin. It wasn't planned."

"Ginge, I know you're new to the whole best girlfriend thing," Jordan said. "But when you hang out with hot guys, you have to tell me. It's in the contract."

"Oh like you tell me everything about you and Phil?" Arden smirked.

Jordan opened her mouth to respond but then shut it, prompting a laugh from both of them. She didn't really know what to say about her and Phil at this point. She was okay with it though. She enjoyed spending time with him and that was all that mattered.

"Here we are," she said, pulling into a parking space. When they got into the restaurant, they spotted Stephanie quickly. She smiled, waving them over.

"Good morning," Jordan smiled, surprised as Stephanie got up and gave her a half hug then did the same with Arden.

"Thanks for coming," Stephanie smiled.

"Thanks for inviting us," Jordan said.

"Of course," Stephanie said. "I have some things I want to talk to you about and who doesn't like to meet over food?"

"I'm a much better listener when I'm eating," Jordan joked.

After a few minutes they'd placed their orders and spent some time chit chatting. Once their food came, Stephanie cut to the chase.

"The reason I asked you here today is to tell you that my father and I have been very, very pleased with your work so far," she said. "The fans have responded really well to you. You've multiplied your twitter followers by ten in just a few weeks. The Lunch with a Legend series is a huge hit online. Everything you've been shooting at shows has been great. We can't wait to get your show up and running."

"Neither can we," Jordan smiled.

"Until we do, we'd like to get you involved in a few more things. We've been looking for a non-superstar host for Summerslam Axxess," Stephanie explained. "I'd love for you to do it."

"The fan event?" Arden asked. "What would that even entail?"

"Opening the gates on the first day, moderating some Q&A sessions with the talent," Stephanie began. "Nothing too crazy."

"That sounds great," Jordan said. "I'd love to do it."

"Great. I figured you'd be open to it," Stephanie beamed. "We're also going to have you do some media in LA that week to help promote."

"Okay, whatever you need," Jordan shrugged. She was a little surprised at the idea of doing media rounds but it made sense.

"Wonderful," Stephanie said. "Is there anything that either of you wants to ask me?"

"Has there been any movement on the network?" Arden asked. "Bob tells me there isn't but have you heard anything?"

Stephanie looked apologetic, shaking her head, "I haven't heard anything really but be patient. We love your work with Jordan. You're a phenomenal producer. We have big plans for both of you. And as soon as I hear something, you'll be the first to know."

"Thank you," Arden smiled, satisfied with the answer.

Jordan understood intellectually why Phil wasn't Stephanie's biggest fan but she couldn't help but like her. She was a smart businesswoman and she'd been nothing but nice and encouraging. Granted, she wanted something from Jordan so her friendliness wasn't without reason but she still enjoyed the other woman's company.

"Now that that's over with," Stephanie said, taking a sip of her water. "How are you two enjoying being on the road?"

* * *

"How long to Houston?" Kofi shouted to Denny, Phil's bus driver.

"About a half hour," the older man answered.

"You're the man Denny," Kofi smiled.

"Leave him alone," Phil laughed from his spot on the couch across from his friend. "He doesn't wanna talk to you."

"I'm sure he does," Kofi said. "He needs some interesting conversation after driving your grumpy ass around all the time."

"He's got a point," Bryan said, exiting his seat up front next to the driver and walking back toward his friends. "You are incredibly grumpy sometimes."

"How about you two get off my damn bus, huh? How's that for grumpy?" Phil smirked, tossing a baseball in Bryan's direction.

"Seems about right," Bryan said, catching the ball and sitting beside Kofi. He eyed Phil as he laughed and joked with Kofi. "Something's wrong with you. You look almost..rested."

"I always look rested."

Kofi laughed loudly, "Like hell. I'm pretty sure the bags under your eyes have their own Facebook page."

"Glad Jordan's back?" Bryan asked.

Phil looked a little surprised at the question but he shrugged, "Yeah, I'm glad she's back."

Bryan was very confused by Phil and Jordan. As long as he'd known Phil, his friend had been a bit of a serial dater but he'd never known him to try just sleeping with someone without getting tangled up in a relationship. He didn't see anything wrong with it but it just didn't seem like him.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Phil asked.

"Like what?"

"You're making your judgmental vegan face," Phil said. "What?"

"I'm just confused," Bryan said. "I mean, don't get me wrong, now that I've met her, I love Jordan. She always compliments my beard and she thinks I'm a better wrestler than you."

"She doesn't think you're a better-"

"I believe she did say that I was number one and you were number two," Bryan held up a finger. "_Anyway_, what I'm trying to say is..do you have any idea what you're doing with this girl?"

Phil rolled his eyes, "I'm doing what I wanna do and so is she. We're not worried about it, why are you?"

"Because I know you," Bryan said. "And things get..messy with you."

"What do you mean _messy_?"

"He means that you date all of our coworkers and then your relationships end badly," Kofi said, tossing the baseball up and catching it.

"They do not _all_ end badly," Phil argued. "You guys make me sound like an asshole."

"They don't end badly for you," Kofi laughed. "Your exes tend to think differently."

Kofi was pretty much dead on. Phil wasn't a bad guy, he never cheated on anyone or anything like that and he was a great friend to have but his relationships tended to get serious very quickly and when they were over, the couples didn't exactly stay friends.

"Look, what happens between me and Jordan is our business and nobody else's," Phil said. "You don't like it; you can get off my damn bus."

"See what we mean Denny?" Kofi called to the older man. "Grumpy."

* * *

Jordan watched as Dylan ran his finger across his Ipad, reviewing her schedule for the next week.

"So when you get back home tomorrow, you've got your normal shift at the station on Wednesday and Thursday. Your SI article is due Thursday and they want to know your next topic. They really liked the profile you did on Ronda Rousey last year for the Tribune, they're hoping you'll do a follow up with her next fight coming up this month."

"Okay," she made a note in her phone. "I'll give her a call."

"Friday you and Jason are doing the show from the Project Borderline fundraiser at Lucky Strike. Monday you're accompanying Stephanie, Stephen, Beth and Stu to an elementary school for a Be A Star rally before the show."

She had almost forgotten the Project Borderline show. When new Bears receiver Brandon Marshall had come to Chicago, they'd bonded immediately when she interviewed him after his first press conference. She admired how eloquently he'd spoken about his condition; he suffered from Borderline Personality Disorder. She and her father went to dinner with him and his wife and they'd been friends ever since. He'd asked her to host the event about a month earlier and she gladly agreed.

"Thank you so much for handling my schedule Dylan," she said. "I know it's not really your job."

"I don't mind at all," Dylan insisted. "My job is whatever you and Arden want it to be. Besides, it helps us all if you know where you're going and when."

Jordan smiled. She was glad Dylan didn't mind because she couldn't just keep track of all of this in her Google calendar anymore.

"Your agent called," the young man continued. "The NFL network is doing a celebrity fantasy football league with a live draft after the third week of the preseason. They'd like for you to participate."

"Why? I'm not a celebrity?" she laughed.

"You're a pretty girl who knows more about football than most guys," Dylan laughed. "I think that's enough."

She rolled her eyes. She'd been asked to do these things before Marshall usually advised her not to do it. He always told her not to involve herself in things if she was being asked just because of her looks. If he'd sent an email about it, he'd obviously changed his stance.

"Am I the token girl?" she asked, unsure about whether or not she wanted to participate.

"Yes you are."

She looked up when she heard John's voice answer her question. She couldn't explain why but it was still a little strange to her to be so friendly with him. She'd said so many..less than nice things about him in her podcasts. The fact that he'd heard those things and didn't hold any of them against her was one of the things she liked most about him. He didn't take the harsh criticism personally. She smiled, crossing her arms over her chest, "And how would you know?"

"I got invited to the same thing and I saw the list," he explained, coming over and sitting across from her. "You're the only lady."

"So then I'm looking at my competition," she raised an eyebrow at him.

"Yes ma'am," he nodded.

"Well, I must warn you," she said. "I am looked at as an authority in fantasy sports. When it comes to football, I am basically unstoppable."

"I'm shaking," he smirked. "Really, you can't see it but I am terrified."

"You should be," she laughed.

"So Stephanie just told me you're gonna be doing some media rounds with me for Summerslam," he said.

"I didn't know I was going with you," she said, surprised. Stephanie didn't mention that part. "Although that makes me feel a little better."

"Why? You nervous?" he asked.

"I don't know if _nervous_ is the right word," she said. "But I have to admit, the idea of being on the other side of a media tour is a little bit weird."

"You'll be fine," he assured her. "Just don't make me look bad."

"I'll do my best," she laughed.

"What time are you leaving tomorrow?"

Jordan looked over at Dylan who consulted his IPad, "Noon."

"You wanna go to breakfast tomorrow before you leave?" John asked. "I can give you a crash course in being on the other side of an interview."

"That sounds good," she agreed. "As long as it's not too early."

"It won't be," he said. "I promise. I gotta go find Phil; I'll see you later, okay?"

"Yeah, see you later," she smiled.

As he walked away, Jordan felt Dylan's eyes on her. She turned to face him and he seemed to be waiting for an explanation.

"What?" she asked.

"Nothing," he smiled, looking down at his Ipad again.

"Seriously, what?"

"Nothing," he laughed, shaking his head. "Nothing at all."

* * *

"I have no idea what I'm doing, you know that, right?" Arden said, holding the Playstation controller Stephen gave her.

"I'll tell you what to do, don't worry your little red head," Stephen said, sitting beside her. He had somehow talked her into playing the new WWE game with him. He'd just gotten a copy and he wanted to test it out and, at the moment, she didn't have too much to do.

"Really?" she looked over at him. "You're gonna make a red head crack?"

"It wasn't a crack lass," he patted her on the head. "Just a comment. Now pick your character."

"Might I suggest Wade Barrett," Stu walked into the room, dropping his bag onto the floor.

"I wouldn't," Stephen smirked. "I hear he's not very good."

"How did he talk you into this?" Stu asked. "You don't strike me as much of a gamer."

"He claims that I owe him a favor," Arden rolled her eyes. "But you're correct; I'm not exactly proficient in video games."

She scrolled through the list of superstars, smiling when she found Stephen's picture. She selected him and he looked at her in surprise, "What's this? That is completely unfair."

"I never said I would play fair," she shrugged. She looked over at Stu who seemed very amused, "Did they give you a return date yet?"

She knew he had been very frustrated as of late with the fact that the writers couldn't seem to decide on a date for him to return to TV.

"Yes, finally," Stu smiled. "Early September. Just a few more weeks of dark matches and then the Barrett Barrage returns."

"Have I ever told you how ridiculous that sounds?" Stephen asked.

"Because Brogue Kick Hooligans sounds intellectual?" Stu raised an eyebrow.

"Fair enough," Stephen nodded. "I think we should go out and celebrate the momentous occasion that is the return of the Barrett Barrage."

Arden laughed, enjoying the animated way in which he spoke. She found his accent incredibly charming.

"He obviously just wants an excuse to drink," Stu informed Arden. "But I'm never opposed to a celebration of myself."

"How about you, you little cheater?" Stephen asked her. "You coming out with us tonight? We'll teach you about good beer and get you to stop drinking old lady drinks."

She laughed, her mouth dropping open at the jab. It had been a long time since she'd had such a friendly relationship with a guy. She was going to have to get used to being teased again.

"I happen to like my alleged old lady drinks," she glared at him. "But I'll go so Stu doesn't have to spend the whole night alone with you."

Stephen looked surprised by her comment and Stu laughed, patting her on the shoulder, "I'm gonna have to keep you around. It's not often that someone manages to shut him up."

* * *

Nick walked toward the dressing rooms, pulling his headphones off of his ears. He heard loud laughing as he passed one of the rooms. Curious, he backtracked, looking trough the doorway. He saw Arden and Stephen playing a Playstation game. Stephen was nudging Arden with his shoulder trying to throw her off. Stu was standing behind them, giving Arden instructions. With the way they were laughing and touching, he found himself wondering if maybe there was something going on with Arden and Stephen. He seemed to see her around him a lot and Stephen usually stayed out of backstage drama but he'd gone out of his way to admonish Cody for starting that rumor. He shook the thought off quickly though. He had a feeling that if Arden were involved with anyone, she would have mentioned it. They'd probably just become fast friends.

He leaned into the room, "What's going on in here?"

"Arden has beaten Stephen twice now," Stu explained. "And I am really enjoying it."

"Congrats," Nick smiled at her and she smiled back. Stephen noticed her looking away from the TV and reached over, pressing buttons on her controller.

"Cheater!" Arden yelled as Stephen raised his hands in victory.

"You started it," Stephen smiled.

Arden rolled her eyes, shaking her head.

"Hey Arden, can I talk to you for a minute?" Nick asked.

She handed her controller to Stu, giving him a serious look, "Don't let him win."

"Never," Stu nodded firmly, before helping her out of her seat.

"What's up?" she smiled, walking out into the hall with Nick.

"Not a whole lot, I just got here a few minutes ago," he explained. "I was just wondering if you figured out if you had any plans tonight. You seemed sort of unsure last night."

Her green eyes widened and she winced, "I'm so sorry I completely forgot you asked."

He raised his eyebrows, surprised. Women never used the word 'forget' when talking about him.

"I mean, I didn't completely _forget_, I just..I didn't really expect you to ask again," she admitted, her cheeks beginning to turn red. "I just told Stephen and Stu I would go to a bar with them after the show…You should come. It'll be fun."

Nick didn't have any problems with Stephen or Stu but he hadn't exactly planned on a group outing. He wasn't ashamed to admit that he liked for all of the attention to be on him.

"You know, I don't know if I can," he said, unsure of what else to say. He was beginning to wonder if he'd read her wrong. He though she was interested but..maybe she wasn't. "Maybe some other time."

* * *

Jordan opened the door to Phil's bus and walked up the stairs. Denny was wandering around smoking a cigarette so she figured he was probably by himself. She hadn't seen him since he walked by while she was filming with Daniel. He'd smiled at her but neither of them had time to stop what they were doing at the moment. As she expected, she found him laying across the seats near the back, his headphones covering his ears and his Cubs hat on his face. He wasn't scheduled to appear on the show until the dark match main event so it wasn't surprising to find him taking a nap. He certainly hadn't gotten much sleep the night before.

"Aren't you the person who told me it's weird to watch people sleep?"

She jumped, startled when he spoke.

"How the hell did you know I was here?" she asked, her hand on her chest.

He sat up, pulling off the headphones and putting the hat on backwards, "It's a hat, not a blindfold."

She rolled her eyes, sitting across from him, "It's so nice and quiet in here."

"That's the point," he said. "You can come here anytime if you need to."

"Thanks," she smiled.

"I assume you were looking for me for a reason," he said, leaning back.

"I was wondering if you're gonna be home on Friday," she explained.

"No, I've got a signing Friday night. Why?"

"Jason and I are doing a fundraiser with Brandon Marshall. Colt's coming. I thought you might wanna come too."

"I would if I could," he gave her an apologetic look.

"No worries," she said. "It's probably best that you don't see me bowl. I'll become significantly less sexy in your eyes."

"I don't know about that," he smiled.

"Stop looking at me like that Brooks, we are at work," she pointed at him.

"Technically, we're just outside of work," he smirked. "Come here."

She wanted to tell him no but her body didn't get the memo. She walked over, intending to sit next to him but he pulled her down onto his lap. She laughed, bracing her hands on his shoulders, "I have about fifty things I should be doing right now. I just came to ask you a question."

"You can leave if you want to," he said, placing a light kiss on her collarbone.

"God damn it," she said, pushing him back and kissing his lips. He smiled against her lips, running his hands through her hair. Their kiss deepened, his tongue stroking hers. She pulled up the hem of his t-shirt, running her hands over his stomach. It hadn't even been twenty four hours since the last time they were together but she felt like a thirsty woman in the middle of the desert. She just couldn't get enough of him. She could tell from the way he kissed her hungrily that he felt the same way. He started fumbling with the button of her jeans and she trailed her kisses to his neck. Just as she felt him unzipping her pants they were both startled by the sound of someone clearing their throat. She hadn't even heard anyone coming. She got up quickly and Phil pushed down the bottom of his shirt. When she turned to see who it was, to say she was mortified would have been a gross understatement. Paul Heyman stood there, his gaze averted.

"Ms. Wyatt," he said. "Always nice to see you."

"Hello," she said, running a hand through her messy hair.

"Paul," Phil stood up, putting his hands in his pockets. "Did _not_ hear you come in."

"The door was open," he explained.

They all stood there awkwardly until Jordan couldn't bear it anymore. She looked down at her watch, thankful that she had an excuse to leave, "I've gotta get back to work. Backstage Fallout doesn't film itself. See you both later."

She walked out as calmly as she could, nearly running into Denny.

"You okay Jordan?" he asked, holding his hands out to steady her.

"Oh yeah, I'm good," she said, looking over her shoulder at the bus. "Do me a favor, look into getting some sort of bell or something installed on the bus, okay?"


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21...**

John rolled his shoulders trying his best to focus all of his attention on getting ready for his match with Bryan. His lawyer had just sent him a text, explaining that he'd scheduled a meeting with Ashley's lawyer for the following morning and he wanted him to be there which meant his flight had to be moved up to 6AM the next day. He hated having to deal with this while he was working. It put him in a bad head space. He heard a light knock on the door and he considered ignoring it but then he heard someone clearing their throat. He forgot he'd left the door ajar. Jordan leaned through the opening, waving slightly.

"Hey," he tried to force a smile. He could tell by the concerned look that touched her face that he wasn't successful.

"You look like a man who's having a very difficult day," she said, walking into the room, her arms crossed over her chest. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," he lied. "Just tired. Did you need something?"

"I was looking for Randy actually," she admitted. "We're supposed to do a post match video."

"He hasn't come back here yet," John said. "I'll let him know you're looking for him."

"Thanks," she smiled.

"Listen, I hate to do this but I'm gonna have to take a rain check on our breakfast tomorrow. Last minute meeting came up," he explained.

"That's okay," she said. "No big deal. We'll do it some other time. I'm gonna go try to find Randy."

She was about to leave but she turned, looking at him over her shoulder, "Are you sure you're alright?"

He smiled wistfully and shrugged. For some reason, probably because he was so tired, he found it difficult to put on a show for her.

"You know, I was really counting on that crash course," she said, leaning against the doorjamb. "You don't have any meetings scheduled _tonight_, do you?"

"Not that I'm aware of," he shook his head.

"Good," she smiled. "Then you're coming out with me."

"Am I?" he laughed.

"You are," she nodded.

He opened his mouth to say no but realized that going out with her was a hell of a lot better than moping in his room alone.

"Alright, I guess, but you're paying this time," he pointed.

"Why?" she laughed, surprised.

"Because you asked me to go. When I ask you, I'll pay," he used her own words against her.

She smiled, "Fair enough. I'll see you later."

He waved, "See you later."

She walked out and he shook his head, smiling to himself.

* * *

_10:00 PM_

Stephen smiled, waving Arden over when he saw her walk in the door. She looked out of place the moment she stepped into the dive bar. She was wearing pleated white skirt, a black cap sleeved shirt and, of course, a pair of stiletto heels. Just about every man in the place had their eyes on her from the moment she came in but she didn't seem to notice. She smiled at him as he pulled the barstool out for her and helped her up.

"You made it," he smiled.

"I had a hard time finding this place," she said. "It's so far back from the street."

"I told ya it was a hole in the wall," he laughed. "Did you get Stu's text?"

She shook her head.

"He says he's gonna be a little late," Stephen explained, downing the last of his pint. "But he's always late."

"Sounds like Jordan," Arden laughed.

"What can I get for you miss?" the bartender came over to them.

"I don't know," Arden looked over at Stephen. "I suppose I should let you pick since you're trying to rid me of my 'old lady drinks'."

"Careful, I'll give you something that'll put hair on your chest."

"Bring it on," she laughed.

"Just bring us a round of Guinness for now, thanks," Stephen said.

The bartender set about retrieving the drinks and Stephen looked over at his fellow redhead, "So, how are you liking life on the road so far?"

"Everyone keeps asking me that," Arden laughed. "I like it. It's definitely interesting. I moved around a ton as a kid so the nomadic aspect isn't exactly unfamiliar. I just hope this time I can actually make friends."

"Well you and Jordan seem like two peas in a pod."

"Jordan is the BFF I never had," Arden laughed.

"And you've got AJ," he said. "And me. Stu. Look at that, you're making friends left and right."

"I hope so," she smiled. When the bartender set her glass down in front of her, she took a sip and her delicate features immediately twisted into a mask of disgust.

"Alright then," he said, pulling the glass away from her. "Back to the drawing board."

* * *

John rushed into the bar, looking around for Jordan. He had sent her a text saying he would be a few minutes late because Ashley called. What he hoped would be a quick phone call had resulted in him being almost twenty minutes late and in a decidedly less pleasant mood than he preferred.

He spotted her at a booth in the corner. She'd changed out of the outfit she wore during the show into a pair of black shorts and a t-shirt for a band he'd never heard of. She was sitting with her feet up, reading a book.

He walked over, sliding into the booth, bracing himself for a healthy dose of attitude.

She smiled when she saw him, putting a napkin in her book to hold her place, "Hey."

"Hey," he eyed her warily, confused at her relaxed reaction. "I'm sorry I'm so late. I got caught up."

"It's okay," she shrugged, holding up her book. "I was sufficiently entertained."

He furrowed his brow, tilting his head as he studied her.

"I was with Dex for years. Sadly, I'm no stranger to waiting for a man to show up," she laughed. "Besides, you said you were gonna be late so there's no problem."

"Ashley jumps down my throat if I'm a minute late for anything," he shook his head.

"Dex always gave me so many other things to be mad at him about that tardiness never really made it's way up the list," she laughed.

"Well I think it's only fair that I get the first round," he smiled. "What are you drinking?"

She shrugged, "Surprise me."

* * *

"I don't think Stu's coming," Arden giggled, looking down at her phone. She and Stephen had been out for at least 2 hours and Stephen hadn't heard from him again.

"I don't think so either," Stephen finished off another glass. She figured Stu had fallen asleep or something. It was late.

She was having a great time though. Stephen had kept her in stitches all night and she'd actually enjoyed some of the beers he and the bartender convinced her to try. She was beginning to feel a little tipsy.

She rested her chin on her hand, looking over at Stephen, "I really have to pee."

He laughed and she slapped her hand over her mouth, surprised at herself.

"I can't believe I said that," she covered her eyes with her hands, immediately feeling her cheeks start to burn.

Stephen laughed, "You're welcome to go but there's a massive line for the ladies room. Might wanna wait until it goes down some."

"I'll just go to the men's room," she said, looking over. There was no line at all for the men's bathroom.

"You?" he laughed. "In a men's room? I would pay to see that."

"You are into some very weird things Mr. Farrelly," she laughed. "I'm going in. If I don't come back in 10 minutes. Come after me."

He raised his glass to her, "You have my word."

* * *

"Tom Brady is a great American," John pointed at Jordan.

"He's a great football player," Jordan agreed. "He also happens to be a giant douche bag."

"He is not," John argued.

"He really is," Jordan nodded. "I swear to you. He is one of the worst people I've ever met."

Jordan's phone buzzed and she looked down at it, quickly reading the message. It was from Phil.

_Denny says you want a bell on the bus. I like the way you think. What are you doing right now?_

"You're just another biased Pats hater," John shook his head. "You probably hate Belicheck too."

"Boy do I," she laughed, typing out a response to Phil.

_I'm having a drink downstairs. Why? You miss me?_

"I don't understand why you people all hate the Patriots," John shook his head. "Is it because your team isn't as good?"

"It's because they're assholes," she explained. "Simple as that. But we can still be friends."

"I don't know, this is kind of a deal breaker," he smirked.

John looked down at his phone and his eyes darkened for a moment. It wasn't the first time she'd seen the exact same thing that night. She saw another message pop up from Phil but she turned her phone over, ignoring it.

"Alright, what's going on?" she asked, resting her elbows on the table.

He looked up at her and she could tell he wasn't quite sure how to answer her.

"I may not have known you for very long but I can tell _something_ is bothering you," she said.

He didn't say anything for a few seconds, looking down into his glass. Jordan started to feel self conscious. Maybe she'd completely overstepped the boundaries of their new friendship.

"Feel free to tell me to mind my own business," she smiled sheepishly.

"You're right," he admitted, still not meeting her eyes. "There is something."

"You can talk to me about it," she offered. "Anything you say to me stays between us."

He took a deep breath and finally looked up at her, a sad smile on his face, "I am getting a divorce."

Jordan felt her eyes widen and she quickly tried to go back to a normal facial expression. She'd noticed John and Ashley seemed a little tense the time that she met her but she hadn't seen that coming.

She reached across the table, touching his hand, "I'm sorry John."

"Me too," he sighed, running his other hand over his hair. "I never wanted this to happen.

"How long have you guys been having problems?"

"Before we got married," he scoffed. "Take that as a lesson. Getting married is _not_ a way to fix the rest of your problems in a relationship."

"Yeah," she winced. "Dex tried to propose to me the day we broke up."

"What were you doing with that guy?" John asked. "I've met him. He is an asshole of _epic_ proportions."

She laughed, "I know, I know. We all make mistakes, right?"

He nodded, raising his glass, "I'll drink to that."

* * *

Stephen paid the cab driver and then got out, offering Arden his hand.

"Have a wonderful night," she gave the cab driver, whom she'd gotten to know on the ride over, a big bright smile.

She took his hand, stumbling a bit when he closed the cab door behind her.

"Careful there," he laughed.

She stood in front of him as the car drove away, taking his other hand in hers and smiling up at him, "I had such a good time with you tonight."

He couldn't look at her smile without smiling himself. It was infectious.

"I'm glad, so did I."

He looked down at their joined hands and then up at her, unsure of what she was about to do.

She squeezed his hands and then let one go, "Now I need you to hold me up so I can take these God awful shoes off."

Laughing, he tried to stop her, "I don't know if you should be walking around barefoot."

"We don't have that far to go," she ignored him, undoing the strap for her right she and stepping out of it. She switched hands, taking off the other, dropping herself about 4 inches in height. "It'll be fine."

"Well I obviously can't stop you now," he said. "Come on, I can't be responsible for you stepping on something and hurting yourself."

He turned his back to her and dropped to one knee.

"I'm confused," she said. "What are you doing?"

"Hasn't anyone ever given you a piggy back ride before?" he looked over his shoulder at her.

"Not since I was 5," she laughed. "Get up. I can walk."

"I'm not getting up, so you might as well climb on," he gestured toward her.

She giggled but after a few seconds, he felt her arms encircle his neck and smelled the strangely pleasant scent of her perfume mixed with beer. He stood and she wrapped her legs around his midsection. He leaned over to pick up her shoes and she gasped, holding on tighter.

He laughed, shaking his head, "Haven't I told you before? I'm never gonna drop you."

* * *

John watched as Jordan signed her credit slip with a flourish, dropping the pen on the table like a microphone. Neither of them was drunk but they were both in a very good mood. She'd listened to him talk about Ashley for a little while and when he was tired of talking about that, she'd gladly changed the subject. Talking to her was so easy. It seemed like they'd been friends for years. When she started yawning, he figured he'd probably kept her out long enough. They both had things to do the next day.

He picked up the credit card slip, studying her signature, "What's the A stand for?"

She looked at him and smiled, "It stands for _ain't_ none of your business."

"Come on," he laughed. "I wanna know something about you that I can't find on the internet. I get the feeling you're more of a listener than a sharer."

"What makes you think that?" she raised an eyebrow at him.

"The fact that you looked shocked at yourself when you told me you were in the hospital," he explained. "You should've seen your face. It was like you just swallowed a bug."

She laughed, "You may be right. I tend not to tell people too much."

"Then take a leap," he smiled. "I told you something big. Nobody but Randy and my lawyer knows about the divorce. All I'm asking is what the A stands for. Your middle name can't be _that_ private."

She narrowed her warm brown eyes at him and leaned in closer, "It stands for Anabelle. And if you tell _anyone_, I will never speak to you again."

"Anabelle?" he smiled. "That's cute."

"It is not cute," she laughed, shaking her head and sitting back in her seat. "Please don't say that."

"I like it," he laughed. "Can I call you Anabelle now?"

"You absolutely cannot," she shook her head, picking up her purse. "Come on. We're leaving."

"What if it's just you and me? I won't say it in front of anyone," he laughed, following her toward the door. He'd already offered to walk her to her room.

"No," she laughed. "Absolutely not."

"Fine, fine," he said, pressing the button for the elevator. When it arrived, he gestured for her to get on first and he followed behind her. As they traveled up to her floor she looked over at him, "If you ever need to talk about anything…I'm around. A few days a week at least."

"Same to you," he said. "Anabelle."

She laughed, slapping him on the arm, "Punkass."

* * *

Beth laughed, her arm looped through Layla's as they walked toward their rooms. They'd gone out after the show with a friend of Layla's that lived in town and Layla had a little more to drink than she planned. When they reached Layla's room, she opened her friend's purse, trying to find her room key. She heard voices down the hall and she looked up to see who it was. Jordan Wyatt was standing outside of a hotel room with John Cena. John was leaning against the wall next to the door and Jordan was laughing as she tried to open it. He said something to her and she playfully pushed him.

"Is that _John_?" Layla asked loudly.

"Shh," Beth admonished her friend.

John and Jordan didn't seem to notice, they were too busy talking.

Beth frowned, watching as John and Jordan talked. Something about it didn't seem right. They weren't doing anything but she had a strange feeling about it. She thought back to Jordan assuring her that she didn't sleep with Phil to get her job. She never said she didn't sleep with _anyone_.


	22. Chapter 22

**I just want to thank everyone for the love that's been given to this story. To all of you who have reviewed, you are truly the bee's knees. I absolutely love reading what you think of the story, good and bad. This update took a lot longer than i thought it would but hey, there's two chapters for you. As always, hope you enjoy. Keep the reviews coming!**

**Chapter 22...**

_Monday…_

Jordan yawned, trying to keep her eyes open so she could finish her book. Phil had given her all 5 volumes of Locke and Key and she'd become obsessed within the first few pages. She'd been reading them in what little spare time she had the last few days and was almost done. She hadn't seen him since Wednesday and, though she wouldn't admit it, she kind of missed him. They hadn't had time to talk outside of text messages. The wait was almost over though. She and Jason were on the blue line en route to the airport. Jason had insisted on riding the train with her because she had to be on it at 3am. He had his chin pressed to his chest, eyes shut, breathing softly. He obviously wasn't going to help keep her awake.

She took a deep breath, looking around the somewhat empty train car. There was a younger guy a few seats away holding up a phone, focusing on it intently. It looked like he was trying to take a picture of something but she couldn't imagine what. She looked back down at her book but decided to save the rest of it for the plane. She wouldn't be able to fall asleep until she'd been in the air for 20 or 30 minutes. She unzipped her carry on, which rested at Jason's feet, and placed the book inside. When she looked up again, she noticed the man with the phone still had his camera trained on something. She looked in the other direction, past where she and Jason were sitting, confused when she saw that there was no one on that side of the car. She elbowed Jason; her fascination with the guy with the phone was proof that she clearly needed someone to talk to.

"Why did you come with me if you weren't gonna stay awake?" she asked as Jason stirred. "How exactly is this protecting me from late night train riders?"

"Even asleep, I am incredibly intimidating," he said, rubbing his tired eyes.

"Oh yes, very much so," she laughed. "Talk to me. I'm bored."

"Okay," he said, leaning his head back, trying to think of something to say. "You gonna have time to go to Ronda's fight this weekend?"

Jordan had become friends with MMA fighter Ronda Rousey when they were teenagers. She and some other people in a journalism program she was enrolled in were given the opportunity to go to the 2004 Olympics. Jordan led a group in interviewing Ronda, who was there competing in judo, along with some of the other younger athletes. They'd been friends since. When Ronda started making her name in MMA, she'd been great about giving Jordan first crack at interviews. She also always gave her tickets to her fights.

"Yeah, Arden and I are going. I warned Stephanie about it when I agreed to host," she nodded. "I'm only doing half of the day at Axxess Saturday then we're driving to the fight and driving back to LA on Sunday morning. I'm excited."

"Good," Jason said. "Tell her I say 'Hi'."

Jordan was about to make a crack about Ronda not knowing who the hell he was but Jason's focus shifted and he started looking over her shoulder.

"What?" she asked. She looked over at Phone Guy and he was once again pointing his camera. This time, though, she realized that it seemed to be focused on her. She turned to Jason, whispering, "I think that guy is taking my picture."

"Uh, ya think?" Jason laughed.

"_Why_?"

"Really Jo?" Jason rolled his eyes. "Sometimes I wonder how it's possible that you're so smart."

She laughed, elbowing him in the side. She looked over at the guy, who was wearing a hooded sweatshirt. It was unzipped just enough that she could make out what she was fairly certain was a Daniel Bryan shirt underneath. She smiled at the man and waved, "Hi."

He looked startled when she spoke to him.  
"I uh..I was just.." He searched for words.  
"Taking my friend's picture?" Jason asked, sitting up straighter.  
Jordan laughed at Jay's tough guy act, rolling her eyes, "Please ignore him. He gets cranky when he's sleepy."  
Phone Guy didn't seem to know what to say so Jordan scooted a seat closer, holding out her hand, "I'm Jordan, although I think you already know that."  
"Yeah," he smiled, shaking her hand. "Damien. Awesome to meet you. I love your podcasts; I listened to them at work all the time. You and Matt are awesome."

"Thank you," she smiled. The podcast with Matt was the thing she missed most now that her schedule was so much different.

The three of them talked for a good chunk of the train ride. Damien had lots of questions about what she thought of current WWE storylines and a few about what her new job was like. She occasionally looked over at Jason who was trying to keep an eye on the stranger without falling asleep. Before she knew it, they were almost at O'Hare and Jordan had a sneaking suspicion that Damien had missed his own stop to stay and talk to her. She was flattered.

"You still want that picture?" she asked.

"You mind if I put it on Facebook?" he laughed.

"Not at all," she laughed, moving to sit beside him. "But if it's gonna be a Facebook picture we gotta do it right. Duck lips or peace signs, your call."

"Both?" he smirked.

She smiled as he held up the phone, "I like your style."

* * *

Phil pulled off his headphones, tossing them aside and rubbing his eyes. He was on the bus, en route to Dallas for Raw and he was bored out of his mind. Kofi was there but he was fast asleep and he was _not_ a pleasant person when woken up. His friend looked hilarious, with his mouth hanging wide open and Phil picked up his phone, deciding that his followers on Twitter deserved to see it as well. He snapped the picture of Kofi and posted it with the caption _I'm only 90% sure he's not dead_.

He scrolled through his Twitter feed, re-tweeting Colt hyping his podcast, Art of Wrestling. He stopped when he saw that Jordan had shared a few pictures from the Project Borderline event. There was one with her, Jason, Matt, and Brandon Marshall, recording the show. In the next, she was with Jason and Colt, the three of them wearing the organization's t-shirts. In the third, Bears linebacker Lance Briggs had Jordan thrown over his shoulder and they were both laughing with the caption _Trying to steal my awesome shoes_. Phil felt his brow furrow as he surveyed the picture. Jordan was wearing a pair of very short shorts and Briggs' hands were on her thighs, dangerously close to the hemline. He shook his head, trying to rid himself of what he was sure was just a fleeting moment of insanity. He wasn't a jealous person. They were obviously just playing around and it didn't matter anyway. It wasn't like he owned her. She could do whatever she wanted. He closed the Twitter app and opened his text messages, selecting the thread with Colt.

_How was that bowling thing Friday? Did you embarrass yourself?_

He was just asking because he was curious, it had nothing to do with Jordan. He opened the thread of texts with her, quickly typing out a message: _You finish those books yet?_

Her response came first: _I did, you will have them back today. Thank you for my new favorite series. Sorta wish I hadn't started until it was over. Now I have to wait. Actually, I kind of hate you now._

_You'll be okay_, he replied. _When I get the next one, I'll let you read it first._

_No you won't._

He laughed. She was right; there was no way he'd be able to do that. She _would_ be the first person he would lend it to though.

_Denny looked into your idea. He's pretty sure he's got something._

_No need, I'm installing a strict policy, _she typed back. _No more hanky panky on the bus during working hours._

_Well then you're gonna have to learn to control yourself._

_I'll try to find a way. We just got to the school. I'll see you later. Don't get into any trouble._

He was looking forward to seeing her. They were supposed to do media Wednesday through Friday in LA and he hoped to spend some time with her. His phone buzzed again and he had a response from Colt.

_I was too busy watching Jordan hook up with Lance Briggs to do anything too embarrassing. They were all over each other. It was sick._

Phil's eyes widened and he read the text again.

"What the hell?" he said aloud to no one in particular. Comatose Kofi certainly wasn't offering any explanations.

Another text came quickly.

_Just fuckin' with ya buddy. Got ya, didn't I?._

* * *

Nick took off his sunglasses tucking them into the collar of his shirt. He was waiting in line to check in at the hotel and he was beginning to wonder if this place had the slowest staff on Earth. He had been waiting forever. He heard someone step into line behind him and he turned to warn them. He smiled when he recognized Arden. She was wearing a giant pair of sunglasses and didn't seem to notice him at first. He took the moment to admire her. She didn't seem to realize it but she really was smoking hot. She looked in his direction and he shifted his gaze to make it look like he was staring at something over her shoulder.

"Hey Nick," she said cheerfully.

"Hey," he said, acting like he'd just noticed her. "How are you?"

"Not too bad," she shrugged. "How's the line moving?"

"It's not," he laughed. "You're gonna be stuck with me for a while."

"I suppose the company could be worse," she smirked. "How was your weekend?"

"Not too bad," he answered. "I got my clock cleaned pretty good on Saturday night but I still seem to have all my faculties so I think I'm okay."

"Are you sure?" she laughed. She held up two fingers, "How many do you see?"

"One, two," he touched her two fingers and then jokingly kept going. "Three, four, eight."

"I'm sure you'll be fine," she laughed.

"How was your weekend?" he asked. "Any hot dates?"

"Only if you count Bob and Allison," she laughed. "I went into the office and helped with some stuff."

"You work on your off days?" he raised an eyebrow at her.

"I don't consider them off days," she laughed. "Just days where there's _less_ work to be done."

She pushed her sunglasses up on top of her head and Nick enjoyed seeing the rest of her face. Her eyes were an unusual jade green that was completely mesmerizing. He looked at the line which had finally moved up one person and back at her. He didn't mind the snail's pace so much anymore. He wished she was easier to read. He couldn't quite tell if she was flirting with him or if she was just friendly. She started blushing every time she saw him but when he'd tried to ask her out, she made other plans. Maybe he was the one who wasn't making himself clear. It couldn't hurt to try and ask her again.

"So I was wondering-"

He was cut off by the shrill sound of a phone ringing. She pulled the phone out of her purse, giving him an apologetic look, "I've gotta take this. Sorry."

"It's okay," he shrugged. "We can talk later."

* * *

Beth walked into the school gymnasium, feeling nostalgic. It still felt strange sometimes to come into these places. She enjoyed it though. She loved kids and definitely wanted some of her own eventually so getting to spend time with them was always fun. She wasn't quite as excited about her adult company. Jordan and Stephanie were standing near the stage, talking to a man who looked like a principal or a teacher. They were smiling and laughing and the man seemed enthralled with both of them. Beth had always had a cordial relationship with Stephanie. They smiled and talked to each other when they were around one another but it was all superficial. They'd probably never had a conversation about anything important that wasn't work related and Stephanie had never taken any idea Beth brought to her seriously. She would always smile and say she would consider it but that was as far as it ever went.

The doors opened behind her and Beth turned, waving when she saw Stephen walk in. Stu was right behind him and she couldn't keep herself from rolling her eyes at the sight of him.

Soon, everyone was herded behind a curtain so the school staff could start bringing in the kids. Stephanie went to the corner on the phone. Jordan sat down by herself, her hands folded in her lap. Beth was still extremely curious about what she'd seen that night at the hotel. They would be sitting for at least a few minutes, what better way to pass the time than with a little recon.

She walked over, sitting beside Jordan and smiling, "Hey there."

"Hi," the brunette smiled brightly. "How are you?"

"Pretty good," Beth smiled. "Ready to get started."

"Yeah, I'm excited," she said.

"I bet," Beth said. "First time doing charity work is a lot of fun."

"Oh this isn't my first time," Jordan said. "I was the president of the philanthropic society in high school. I actually just hosted a benefit for a friend of mine on Friday."

_Well aren't you just perfect_? Beth smiled, struggling to keep the thought in her head.

"It's nice that you got to do something like that," she smiled. "Just wait until you have to start turning down bookings left and right because the company doesn't approve."

"I guess that's where I'm lucky," Jordan said, putting her phone in her purse. "I don't have the same kind of contract you guys do. I can pretty much do whatever I want."

Beth raised a skeptical eyebrow, "And how exactly did you swing that?"

Jordan shrugged, "Well..technically, my contract is for a show on the network. I'm not nearly as important as you guys. I mean I couldn't, like, go pop up on Impact next week but personal appearances, things like that; I don't have to get approval."

"Isn't that nice?" Beth smiled, her shoulders tense. Must be one of the perks that comes with being so _friendly_ with people like John and Phil. "Listen, I was wondering..now that we got the whole Colt thing cleared up..Are you seeing anyone?"

Jordan looked surprised by the question and Beth spoke quickly, "I have a friend who was asking me. I would _love_ to set you up."

"I'm not really looking these days honestly," Jordan gave her an apologetic smile. "But if anything changes, I'll let you know."

"Sure, of course," Beth nodded. She had a good feeling she knew exactly why Jordan _wasn't looking_. She just wondered what it would take to get her to admit it.

* * *

John dropped his bags outside his hotel room, pulling his key out of his pocket. He had just finished a radio appearance and he was hoping to get a nap in before leaving for the arena.

"John!"

He winced when he heard Layla's voice. He and Layla were friends but he'd always gotten the impression that she wanted more. She tended to act like a giggly teenager around him and sometimes he just wasn't in the mood for it. This was one of those times.

"Hey Layla," he smiled, knowing he wouldn't be able to pretend to ignore her.

"How are you?" she asked, pulling him into a hug.

"Not bad, not bad," he said. "Tired though. How are you?"

"I'm good," she smiled. "Just got checked in. I'm gonna head to the arena in a little bit. Kaitlyn and I wanna get some work in before our match."

"Sounds good," he said, stifling a yawn.

"So how's Ashley?" Layla asked. "I haven't seen her in a while."

"She's uh…she's good," John said. For all he knew, Ashley was happy as a clam, sitting in his house spending his money.

"Good," Layla smiled. "And things with you two are going well?"

John paused for a moment, surprised by the question. Nothing had leaked about the divorce so he couldn't imagine why she would ask.

"Things are fine with us," he shrugged. "Everything's good."

Layla's smile faltered for a moment and she almost looked confused. She shook it off quickly though, patting him on the arm, "That's good to hear. I'll see you tonight."

"See you later," he waved, watching her leave.

He shook his head as she rounded the corner toward the elevator, "What the hell was that?"

* * *

"That is the ugliest animal I have ever seen," Stephanie laughed as Jordan put her phone down after showing her a picture of her friend's cat.

"He's the root of all evil," Jordan shook her head. "I almost needed stitches the last time I saw him."

The two of them were having lunch before they headed to the arena to start getting ready for the show. The waiter brought their salads, setting the plates down in front of them. After he walked away, Jordan pushed her chair away from the table.

"I'll be right back."

"I'll be here," Stephanie waved.

Stephanie was really surprised at how much she liked Jordan. The first time she met her she had thought the decision to hire her had been based solely on her looks but after checking out some of her work, she was extremely impressed. She was very intelligent and witty. She had a great attitude and brought interesting, creative ideas to the table. She was ambitious but still worked well with others. Stephanie could see them becoming friends the more they worked together.

She moved to eat her salad but then Jordan's phone started buzzing on the table. The vibration caused it to move closer to her and she couldn't help herself, looking over to see who was calling. The picture on the screen was a sight she didn't see very often in her personal time; Phil Brooks smiling. It was a close up shot with Jordan on one side and Colt on the other, both of them kissing him on the cheek. The picture disappeared as the phone stopped buzzing and Stephanie's interest was piqued. She knew that they knew each other from Chicago but she didn't know how well.

The phone buzzed again and Stephanie looked at the screen. She just wanted to see what the notification was but when the whole text message scrolled across the screen, she couldn't help but read it.

_Let me know when you get to the hotel. You and Arden can ride to the arena with me and Kofi. No hanky panky on the bus this time. I promise._

Stephanie eyes widened. Well there was the answer to how well they knew each other. She almost felt guilty for snooping but she hadn't done it intentionally. It wasn't her fault Jordan hadn't taken her phone with her.

She would not have expected that pairing. Jordan and Phil didn't really seem like each other's type. Jordan was so upbeat and fun and Phil was so…well Phil wasn't exactly Stephanie's favorite person. She just hoped he wouldn't be a bad influence on her attitude.


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23...**

Jordan hung up the dress she wore that morning and draped her still damp hair over her shoulder. She'd taken a shower right when she got back to the hotel, knowing she didn't have much time before they were supposed to leave for the arena. She heard a knock on her door and walked over quickly to open it.

"Hi," she smiled when she saw Phil.

"Hey," he walked in and she closed the door behind him. When she turned to face him again, he grabbed her hand, pulling her against him. Before she could say anything, he pressed his lips to hers, kissing her softly at first. She felt herself melting against him as he held her face in his hands, teasing her mouth open. Her hands grabbed at his shirt, pulling him even closer against her. She could feel the warmth of his skin through his shirt and she desperately wanted to get it off. She wasn't sure how long the kiss lasted but when he pulled away, her head was spinning.

"I came to see if you were ready to go," he smiled, resting his forehead against hers.

"For future reference; if you want me to go somewhere," she breathed. "You can't kiss me like that. Now I just wanna stay here."

"I had to get it out of my system before we got on the bus," he smirked. "I made a promise, I plan to stick to it."

She laughed, "I'm almost ready. Arden's gonna meet us downstairs."

She reluctantly moved away from him, packing a couple of outfit options into a bag, knowing she always changed her mind at least once before she started filming.

"How was your pep rally?" he asked, sitting on the bed.

"It's not a pep rally and you know it," she pointed at him. "I've had a very good day. The kids were great. One of them asked Beth to be his girlfriend, it was adorable."

"And you and Beth got along?" he asked, sitting on the edge of the bed.

"Yeah actually," she nodded. "Although it was kind of weird. She said she wanted to set me up with one of her friends."

He frowned, "Beth isn't usually one to play matchmaker."

"I kinda got the vibe that she was trying to get something out of me," Jordan explained. "But maybe I'm just being paranoid."

"Maybe she's still convinced you're lying about me."

"Yeah well, I _am_ lying about you," she raised an eyebrow at him. "Please tell me I'm not gonna end up all hung on you like that. Who am I kidding? I don't like you _that_ much."

"You're not very nice to me, you know?" he laughed.

"You like it," she laughed. "Oh, I almost forgot to tell you, I had my very first invasion of privacy this morning. This guy was taking my picture on the train."

"What'd you do?" he looked concerned.

"I sat and talked to him for a while and then we took a picture together."

When she was done packing her bag he picked it up, giving her a disapproving look, "You need to be careful with things like that. You should start driving to the airport."

"Jason was with me," she assured him. "Besides, I'm not famous enough to have crazy fans. And you know I don't have a car."

"You can afford to hire a car service or take a cab. Or Jason could drive you," he argued.

"Yeah but I like taking the train," she shrugged. "I'll be fine."

"Are you ever _not_ stubborn?" he asked.

"I'll let you know when I come across a situation where I'm not," she smirked. "I told you, I'll be fine. Trust me."

"I do trust you," he said, walking to the door and holding it open for her while she grabbed her purse. " I just want to make sure you're safe."

"Aww," she playfully smacked him on the butt as she walked past. "I'm touched."

* * *

Arden finished a tersely worded email to Nate and sent it. He had been trying to get a hold of her all weekend to ask her a question that she'd already sent him the answer to. She rolled her eyes, slipping her phone back into her purse and pulling out her sunglasses. They were knocked out of her hand when she felt something, or rather _someone_, run into her back. She stumbled forward, a squeak escaping her. She turned around, annoyed, and found herself with Cody's angry gaze fixed on her.

"Watch where you're going," he snapped.

"_Really_?" she glared. "You ran into my _back_."

"Because you just stopped moving in the middle of a walkway."

"Oh well, excuse me Cody," she stepped stepping out of his path and gesturing toward the parking lot. "Far be it for me to keep you from your hunting ground."

"You really need to let that go," he rolled his eyes.

"Do I?" she crossed her arms over her chest.

"You do," he said. "And you also need to watch who you're talking to."

"And why is that Cody?" she asked. "Are you gonna start another rumor about me?"

"That rumor is the only reason anyone around here knows who you are," Cody said. "The only reason you have this job is because of people like me. Don't forget, you can _lose_ it because of people like me."

* * *

"Wow," Bryan shook his head, standing outside the ring while Stephen and Stu climbed out. "I know everyone comes back a little rusty from an injury but that…that was bad."

"Piss off, goat face," Stu pointed at him.

"I'm kidding," Bryan laughed, handing both men a bottle of water. "You looked good."

"That's got nothing to do with him," Stephen laughed. "I make everyone look good."

"If only that were true," Stu smirked.

"Maybe all that extra sleep is helping," Stephen pushed his friend's shoulder.

"Are you still going on about that?"

"About what?" Bryan asked, feeling left out.

"He was supposed to go out with us a couple nights back and he didn't show. Says he fell asleep."

"Us as in..?" Bryan gestured for him to elaborate.

"Stephen and Arden," Stu explained. "I can't for the life of me figure out why he's complaining."

"You went on a date with Arden?" Bryan smirked.

"How did you get 'date' out of the fact that Stu ditched us?" Stephen laughed.

"You stayed out," Bryan said. "Alone. For you, that's pretty much a date."

"What do you mean _for me_?" Stephen asked.

"Come on, you're not exactly the Godfather," Bryan laughed. "When was the last time you even went on a date?"

"That isn't any of your concern," Stephen insisted. "I'm not interested in Arden in that way. She's a nice woman who obviously feels a bit out of place. I'm just trying to be her friend."

Bryan smirked, "Good luck with that."

* * *

"I still don't understand why you won't come," Jordan shook her head, admonishing Dylan. "Arden doesn't know the first thing about MMA and she's coming."

"She's right, Dylan," Arden said, taking a sip of her coffee. "You should come with us."

They had an extra ticket for Ronda's fight and hadn't been able to find anyone to take it yet. Phil wanted to go but couldn't get out of his duties at Axxess. The same went for John, AJ, Stephen, and Bryan. The girls wanted Dylan to go but he wasn't terribly interested.

"Maybe next time guys," Dylan smiled, patting them both on the shoulder. "I'm gonna go get some water. You want anything?"

"No thanks," Jordan said, relenting.

"You should really rethink that."

Both women looked up when Nick walked over to them.

"Ronda Rousey is a badass," Nick told Dylan.

"Thanks for the advice," Dylan smiled before walking away.

"Sorry to interrupt," Nick apologized. "I overheard you guys talking. That's a pretty decent card. You you're gonna have a good time."

"I always enjoy seeing Ronda rip arms off," Jordan shrugged. She looked over at Arden who seemed to have gone mute all of a sudden. Her cheeks were starting to flush. She turned her attention back to Nick, "I didn't know you were an MMA fan."

"Yeah, most of the guys here are," he said.

"Have you gone to any fights live?" she asked, nudging Arden with her foot under the table.

"A couple here and there," Nick answered. "It's a lot of fun."

Jordan looked over at Arden, trying to give her a look while being as subtle as possible. Arden looked back at her but didn't seem to know what Jordan was getting at.

Jordan rolled her eyes, "What are you doing Saturday night Ziggles?"

"No plans really," he shrugged. "I'm doing most of my Axxess stuff on Friday."

"Then you should come with us," Jordan said.

"Really?" he looked a little surprised. Jordan made a conscious effort not to roll her eyes. Was no one capable of picking up hints anymore?  
Nick looked at Arden and Jordan kicked her sharply in the foot.

"I think that's a great idea," Arden smiled up at him. "You should definitely come."

"Okay, sure," he nodded. "Sounds like a plan. I'm gonna go get showered up. I'll see you guys later."

Jordan waved as he walked away and then turned to Arden who was shamelessly staring at his backside.

She tugged Arden's ponytail, snapping her out of her trance, "What was that? Did you forget how to talk?"

"I'm sorry," Arden blushed, covering her face with her hands. "He makes me nervous."

"Why?" Jordan asked. "He obviously likes you."

"No he doesn't," Arden shook her head. "Not like _that_."

"Not like what?" Jordan laughed. "Honey, he tried to ask you out."

"I didn't think he was asking me on a date," Arden insisted. "I thought he just wanted to hang out as friends."

"Jesus H," Jordan sighed shaking her head. She put her arm around Arden's shoulders, resting her head against her friend. "When you realize how awesome you are, you're gonna be dangerous."

* * *

"Sounds good ladies," Paul Wight stood up, patting John on the shoulder. "I'll see ya out there."

John winced as he hit a sore spot. They'd just finished discussing plans for the show with Bryan and Phil. Bryan was to interrupt a match between Phil and Paul which would lead to another match pitting John and Phil against the other two men.

"I'm gonna go find AJ," Bryan said, standing up.

As Bryan exited the room Randy entered. Phil pulled on a hooded sweatshirt and looked like he was about to leave.

"Hey, have you seen Jordan today?" John asked. He'd meant to ask him earlier but then Bryan showed up.

"Why?" Phil asked, his eyebrows just slightly rose.

"I just wanted to talk to her about something," John shrugged. It was Monday so he knew she'd be back to work and he hadn't seen her yet. He really didn't have anything particularly pressing to discuss with her. Although his brother had been asking him to find out how well she knew Ronda Rousey.

"I haven't seen her since we got here," Phil shrugged, putting his headphones around his neck. "She's around here somewhere."

"You guys came together?" Randy asked.

"Yup," Phil replied before putting on his headphones and heading toward the door. "When I see her, I'll let her know you're looking."

There was a knock on the door and Phil pulled it open. As if they'd conjured her up with their conversation, Jordan stood on the other side.

"Speak of the devil," Phil pulled his headphones back down. He stepped aside to allow her into the room.

"Do I even want to know why you were talking about me?" she smirked. When she saw Randy and John she smiled, waving, "Gentlemen."

"Hey Jordan," John waved.

"He was the one talking about you," Randy pointed to John.

"Good to know," she laughed. She pointed at Phil, "Are you coming to film?"

"With you? I didn't know I was supposed to be," he said. "I thought we were doing that later."

"Nope," she shook her head. "We were supposed to start like 5 minutes ago."

"Shit, sorry," he apologized. "No one told me."

"No big deal, we still have time if you do," she shrugged.

"Yeah, I can do it now," he nodded.

Phil moved to lead the way out of the room but Jordan stopped short just inside the door way, looking at John, "I almost forgot. I brought a flash drive with me with that stuff we talked about."

Randy immediately looked intrigued and he smiled, looking back and forth between the two of them, "What kind of stuff?"

John rolled his eyes and Jordan laughed, "_Music_ Randy. I'll bring it to you later."

"I look forward to it," John smiled. "Thanks."

"No problem," she said, following Phil out of the room.

John avoided looking at Randy, knowing exactly how his friend's mind worked. Jordan had made fun of him the night they went out because he was somewhat behind on new music. She had promised to bring him some songs she thought he would like. Her innocent mention of it had undoubtedly set wheels in motion in Randy's mind.

"Not looking at me doesn't mean I'm not here," Randy laughed.

"I know, I'm just hoping it keeps you quiet," John countered.

"So how long has _that_ been going on?" Randy asked.

"What?" John asked, confused.

"Jordan and Punk," Randy gestured to where they'd been standing.

John turned to his friend giving him a puzzled look.

"You mean to tell me you didn't see the look on his face when you asked about Jordan?" Randy questioned. "You didn't notice how he made sure you knew they came here together?"

"You are reading _way_ too much into that conversation," John shook his head. "He was just talking."

"You say that now but I'm telling you, I'm right," Randy said. "I'd put a hundred bucks on it."

"I'm not gonna bet with you about that," John laughed. "Where's Stephanie? She needs to give you something to do. You've got too much time to over think everything."

* * *

"I really hate these things," AJ looked at herself in the mirror, straightening out the jacket of the business suit she wore. "Phil told me I look like a pocket size Stephanie."

Arden laughed and then covered her mouth, giving her new friend an apologetic look.

"It's okay, you can laugh," AJ smiled. "It helps. It's good to know I'm not the only one who thinks I look ridiculous."

"I wouldn't say ridiculous," Arden said diplomatically. "Just..less than comfortable. A lot less."

"Thanks," AJ laughed, reapplying her lip gloss.

Arden heard shuffling off to her right and she looked out of the corner of her eye, seeing Beth searching for something in her bag. She'd noticed that as she and AJ were talking, Beth seemed to have been hovering close by, almost like she was eavesdropping. It was beginning to get a little irritating.

When Beth saw her looking, she pulled a t-shirt out of her bag, quickly walking away.

Arden turned back to AJ, who was rolling her eyes and shaking her head.

"Not a big fan?" Arden looked in the direction Beth had gone.

"I used to be. I looked up to her. When I first got here, we got along fine," AJ explained. "Then when the whole crazy AJ angle started, all of a sudden she just sort of stopped talking to me. I got the feeling she was pissed that I was getting such a big push and she wasn't. Then after Phil and I kissed that first time on Raw, she looked like she wanted to rip my head off."

"He seems to have quite an effect on the women around here," Arden said, leaning back in her chair. She couldn't help but think of Jordan. She didn't want her friend ending up angry and bitter.

"I know," AJ nodded. "Phil's a great friend to have. He's fun to hang out with, he's generous, he's protective. I could never go there though."

"Why not?"

"Because when he and Beth were together things with them seemed…a little too intense for me. I like for relationships to be as easy as possible."

"Don't we all?" Arden laughed. Her last relationship had been anything but easy. She tried her best not to think about it if she didn't have to.

"Speaking of which, what's going on with you and Nick?" AJ smiled, crossing her arms over her chest.

Arden felt a flush crawling up her cheeks as she shook her head, "Nothing."

"Nothing?" AJ asked. "You do recall that I was there when he tried to ask you out?"

"I have a lot of work to focus on. I'm not looking for anything else."

"You don't have to be looking for it," AJ shrugged. "Sometimes it just finds you."

* * *

Phil watched Jordan as she finished typing something on her laptop. They'd come back to the bus after they finished taping a short interview and she said she had to send an email to Jason before she forgot. He sat down, claiming he was going to finish up his book before the show started but there he was, holding the book open, looking at her. He liked looking at her face when she was focused on work. Most of the time she had this perpetually amused, mischievous look on her face that he always liked but there was something different about her when she didn't know she was being watched. She made little faces where she scrunched her nose and shook her head at herself, obviously second guessing something she'd written. She squinted at the computer screen, despite the fact that she was wearing her glasses. She tapped her fingers against her lips as she read over what she wrote, scrutinizing every word. It was cute. He enjoyed these new moments they were having; the times when the electricity calmed down a bit and they just relaxed together. He felt ridiculous when he thought back to how he'd reacted when she first told him about her job. He really liked having her around. Apparently he wasn't the only one. He thought of the look on Randy's face when he said he and Jordan arrived together. He hadn't even meant to say 'we' instead of 'I' but the surprise in Randy's eyes annoyed him. He tried to shrug it off at the time, Randy annoyed him more often than not, but as he sat there with her, thinking about it, he found himself getting irritated again. The few times he'd been in a room with Randy, John, and Jordan, he noticed that Randy always seemed to be looking back and forth between John and Jordan, like he was waiting for something to happen.

"Alright, done," Jordan finished typing and then closed her laptop, setting it down beside her.

"Finally," he rolled his eyes dramatically. "I was getting bored over here."

"I'm not here for your entertainment," she said. "You need to learn to make your own fun."

"Maybe I'd be more entertained if you made mixtapes for me like you do for John," he smirked.

She laughed, her mouth falling open, "I will have you know I have never made a man a mix tape in my life."

"You sure about that?"

"Look, when we were out the other night, we were talking about music, I told him about some acts I thought he would like. He said he doesn't have time to find new music. I told him I'd bring it to him. That's all."

"I don't know how I'm supposed to feel about this," he smiled, thoroughly enjoying teasing her.

"We both know you'd _never_ be jealous so shut up about it," she laughed, sticking out her tongue at him.

The door to the bus opened and Paul Heyman walked in, one hand over his eyes, the other dramatically waving around in front of him, "Denny told me you two were in here alone."

"We're as decent as we get," Jordan laughed.

Paul dropped his hands, smiling at Jordan, "Did I miss it this time?"

"I'm afraid so," she shrugged. "Better luck next time."

"Show's about to start, we're being beckoned by Stephanie," Paul explained to Phil.

"Let me guess," he sighed. "Last minute change."

"Last minute change," Paul smiled, nodding. "Look at you, you're gonna get the hang of this business in no time."

Phil got up, pulling his hood up. For some reason Stephanie obviously hated when he talked to her and wouldn't take off his hood but she would never actually say anything about it. Years ago, she hadn't been afraid to say anything to him. These days she was better at biting her tongue. Perks of being the champion he supposed.

"You coming?" he turned to Jordan.

"I've gotta make a couple phone calls," she said. "I'll be along in a little bit."

He waved to her and then followed Paul off the bus.

"So what do you think of her?" he asked, putting his hands in his pockets as Paul closed the door behind them. He'd known Paul Heyman for a long time and he trusted his opinion more than almost anyone else in the business.

"Jordan?" Paul said. "I think she's great. She's quick on her feet. Knows her stuff. She's damn good looking. Why do you ask?"

"I don't know," he admitted. "I guess I thought I had things figured out with the two of us and now..I'm rethinking some things."

Paul patted him on the back, "Go with your instincts."

Paul walked ahead a bit and turned, looking at him over his shoulder, "Unless your instincts are telling you to let her go. Then, ignore your instincts completely."

* * *

_2:00 AM_

John paced back and forth, trying to keep from crushing his phone into a million pieces as he listened to his soon to be ex-wife talk. He was getting so tired of talking in circles with her. He ran a hand over his face, taking a deep breath in a concentrated effort to calm himself.

"Ashley, all I'm saying is that we don't have to take this public. Why put yourself through it? Why put our families through it?"

He still couldn't understand why she was trying to make this so damn difficult.

"John you act like you're so reasonable but you're forcing my hand," she said. "It isn't my fault it has to be this way."

"What do you mean it's not your fault?" he asked, laughing at her ridiculousness. He'd never realized she could be _this_ irrational. "_You're_ the one threatening to make it public. You're the one with TMZ on speed dial."

"Because you're low balling me," she insisted. "You're acting like our marriage wasn't worth anything."

"That is bullshit and you know it," he said, unable to keep the contempt out of his voice. He was sick of talking about money with her. "I have offered you plenty."

"I disagree," she said. "And so does my lawyer."

"Your lawyer just wants more money for you because it means more money for him," he insisted. "He doesn't give a shit about the 'worth of our marriage'. He doesn't care what happens in your life once this is over."

"Because you do?" she asked.

He sighed deeply, sitting on the edge of his bed. He'd tried so many times to tell her that he did care. He cared about her, he cared about her well being. He just couldn't handle being married to her anymore. He didn't hate her. He didn't carry any deep resentment and malice; he just wanted this to end _amicably_. It didn't matter though. Whatever he said seemed to go in one ear and right out the other.

"I've gotta go," he said, knowing he couldn't talk to her much longer without completely losing his temper. "I'll talk to you later."

He didn't wait for a response, ending the call and tossing his phone behind him on the bed. He took another deep breath, trying to calm his nerves. Talking to Ashley had become like talking to a wall and he felt himself getting more and more aggravated every time he tried. He thought about going downstairs for a beer but that probably wouldn't help. He didn't want to be one of those people who started to turn to alcohol every time they got even the slightest bit frustrated. He'd seen way too much of that in his years in the business. He looked over at the clock to check the time and something on the nightstand caught his eye: the flash drive Jordan had given him earlier. He laughed as he looked at it. It was shaped like Batman and he'd told him he could keep it if he wanted. He wondered what she was doing. Lately, talking to her seemed to make him feel better, even if they were talking about Ashley. It was just nice to have an outside opinion. It was late and she probably wasn't awake. Although, she did tell him she had an article due and that usually kept her up. It couldn't hurt to try. He certainly wasn't going to be getting any sleep anytime soon.

* * *

Jordan awoke with a start when she heard a light knock on the door. She hadn't been in a very deep sleep. There was a large gap under the door causing more light in the room than she was able to deal with. She'd just barely fallen drifted off when the knocking started. She sat up, rubbing her eyes with one hand while the other fumbled on the nightstand for her glasses. Once she found them, she put them on and crawled quietly out of bed, tip-toeing quickly to the door. She assumed it was probably Arden and if her friend was visiting in the middle of the night, she didn't want to keep her waiting long. She opened the door, slipping out into the hall. She didn't see anyone at first and frowned, looking first to her left, then the right. She was surprised to see John heading down the hall toward the elevator.

"John?" she whispered his name, not wanting to disturb anyone.

He turned around when he heard her, giving her a sheepish smile as he started walking her way, "I thought maybe you were sleeping."

"Not really," she shrugged.

When he reached her she became acutely aware of the fact that she'd forgotten to put on pants before she left the room. She was wearing a t-shirt that, fortunately, covered her underwear but not much else. Thankfully, John didn't seem to notice. He looked tired and his shoulders seemed tense.

"What's going on?" she asked, concerned.

"I probably shouldn't have-"

"Don't come up with some reason you shouldn't have come to talk to me," she stopped him. "You did. I'm awake. It's fine. What's going on?"

His shoulders seemed to relax a fraction at her words and he sighed deeply, "It's Ashley. She's driving me crazy. Every time I try to talk to her, I get so frustrated because I just can't reason with her. She takes everything I say and twists it around into something else. Everything I suggest she fights it tooth and nail and she's only fighting because it's not her idea. I just don't know what to do at this point. I'm trying to make this easy and she just seems to desperately want it to be hard."

She felt for him. She knew it was important to him for this divorce to be peaceful. He clearly didn't want to hurt Ashley. Unfortunately, wanting peace doesn't always make it so.

He looked at her, his blue eyes searching for help. She was no expert on divorce. The dissolution of her parents' marriage had been handled in an unconventional way out of necessity. She felt grossly under qualified to comment but she couldn't leave him hanging.

* * *

Phil awoke to the sound of Jordan's voice. She sounded like she was a million miles away. He sat up slowly, rubbing his eyes, wondering what the hell time it was. He got his answer when he looked over at the clock, blinking until the numbers came into focus. _2:27 AM._

He looked around, trying to figure out where she'd gone. Yawning, he pushed off the sheet that covered his legs and got out of bed. He heard her voice again and now that he was more awake, he could hear where it was coming from. She was just outside the door. Who would she be talking to in the hall in the middle of the night? Probably Arden. Maybe AJ. He hoped everything was okay. Curious, he moved a little closer to the door. When he heard the other voice, he stopped moving.

"I just don't know what to do you know? What am I supposed to say to her?"

He frowned when he heard the very familiar, very male voice, "Cena?"

* * *

John shook his head, "I just don't know what to do you know? What am I supposed to say to her?"

"I wish I had a perfect solution for you John," Jordan gave him an apologetic look. "I think the first thing you need to do is stop trying to reason with her. I mean, you said yourself; you can't have a rational conversation with her. I don't think that's gonna change. You're trying to deal with her on a personal level because you don't want this to get ugly but the way she's acting…she doesn't care if it gets ugly. You're considering her feelings and she isn't considering yours. Frustrating you is how she gains power and if you keep engaging with her, you're gonna get so worn down that you're just gonna give her what she wants so she'll go away. You have a lawyer whom I'm sure you're paying a _lot_ of money. Let him do the work. If she wants to make this harder on you, just take a step back and let the sharks do their jobs. You can't make her cooperate but I'm sure they can."

He considered her words, nodding. She had a point. He was trying to treat this like a simple situation when it clearly wasn't anymore. He noticed Jordan putting a hand in front of her mouth, trying to stifle a yawn and he looked down at his watch, feeling guilty when he saw that it was 2:30.

"I'm sorry," he said, running a hand over his hair. "I'm keeping you up."

"No it's okay," she insisted, smiling sleepily. "I'm really not that tired."

"It's nice of you to lie," he laughed. Talking to her had made him feel significantly less restless. If he tried, he could probably get to sleep when he got back to his room. "I should probably-"

The door to the room started to open and John looked at Jordan, confused. Her brown eyes went wide as Phil Brooks, shirtless and half asleep, walked out of the room, scratching behind his ear, "Everything okay out here?"

John instantly felt uncomfortable. He knew he'd interrupted Jordan's sleep, despite her assertion that he didn't. He had no idea she wasn't alone. He _definitely _didn't know she was with Phil.

"Hey man," Phil turned his tired gaze to John. "You alright?"

"Yeah," John nodded, looking at Jordan, who had a strange gaze fixed on Phil, her eyes narrowed and her mouth slightly open. "Yeah, I uh..I just..I had to talk to Jordan about something but..I should be going. Sorry if I woke you up."

"No big deal," Phil yawned.

"Thanks for the advice," John said to Jordan, snapping her out of the strange trance she seemed to have slipped into.

She gave John an apologetic look, "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yeah, yeah," he nodded. "I'm good. I'm gonna go try to get some sleep. Sorry to bug you guys."

He turned away quickly, eager to get out of this awkward situation as quickly as possible. Now he was glad he didn't take that bet with Randy.

* * *

Jordan watched Phil as he walked back into her hotel room, crawling back onto the bed as of he hadn't just outed them in front of John. She walked into the room, still bewildered, closing the door behind her.

"Um..Phil?" she said, turning on one of the lamps.

"Yeah?" he squinted at the light, using an arm to block it out.

"What the hell was that?" she asked, pointing toward the door.

"What was what?" he asked, getting up and walking over, turning off the lamp.

"What was what?" she lowered her voice in a mocking tone. "Seriously? You're all Mr. Privacy most of the time and all of a sudden you decide it's a good idea to come waltzing out of my hotel room practically scratching your balls in the middle of the night?"

"I was not scratching anything," he said, getting back into the bed. "And I heard you out in the hall; I wanted to make sure everything was okay."

"Isn't that what the peep hole is for?" Jordan asked, confused. "Spotting potential danger in the immediate vicinity of a door?"

"Jordan, it's not a big deal," he yawned, patting the bed beside him. "Come on, I'm tired."

She ran a hand through her hair, trying to figure out why he'd just done that. The walls in this hotel weren't particularly thick; he would've been able to make sure she was alright by coming within 10 feet of the door. He would've been able to hear anything he wanted. Then, it dawned on her.

"Oh my God," she laughed, putting a hand over her mouth. "Was that a jealousy thing?"

"What?" he sat up, staring at her. "What are you talking about woman?"

She giggled, pointing at him, "You were totally just marking your territory."

"I was not," he insisted. "That's _ridiculous_."

"Oh I agree," she nodded. "It is ridiculous but that's _totally_ what you were doing."

Even in the dark she could see that he was getting agitated. His body language had changed. He wasn't nearly as relaxed as he had been a few minutes earlier. He was tense, sitting up straighter than usual.

"Why would I do that?" he asked. "You're not my property."

"I know," she said, sitting beside him on the bed, not bothering to hide her amusement. He acted like he was so evolved but she knew a jealous streak when she saw it. She'd been guilty of a little jealousy herself once or twice.

"Have I ever told you that you look adorable in green?" she smirked, taking back her pillow. He had a tendency to steal it in his sleep.

"Jordan, I have never been, nor will I ever be jealous of John Cena," he insisted. "Trust me."

"I do," she said. "Now go to sleep. I've gotta figure out how to answer all the awkward questions John's gonna ask me tomorrow."


End file.
